DOGE tackles Medicare payment systems for potential fraud: report

Elon Musk’s team within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been reviewing payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) this week in an effort to identify fraud and waste.

According to the Wall Street Journal, representatives from DOGE have been present at CMS offices to examine the agency’s spending. It is also reviewing the agency’s staffing structure, as many veteran staffers have worked at the agency for decades. The move is part of a broader initiative to assess inefficiencies across federal agencies, with Musk’s team recently revealed also to be investigating the Treasury Department and the US Agency for International Development. DOGE’s mission is to reduce excessive government spending and eliminate ineffective programs.

CMS, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, employs approximately 6,710 people. Among the systems under review is the CMS Acquisition Lifecycle Management system, which contains information on federal contracts. However, DOGE representatives have not been granted access to databases containing the personal health information of Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. Their access remains "read-only," meaning they cannot make any changes to the systems.

A CMS official told The Wall Street Journal that the agency has "two senior agency veterans who are leading the coordination with DOGE" and that leadership is "taking a thoughtful approach to see where there may be opportunities for more effective and efficient spending in line with meeting the goals of President Trump."

Trump’s appointment to oversee CMS, Dr. Mehmet Oz, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. However, several officials at CMS who are expected to work under Oz have already begun overseeing the agency.