The Kansas House on Monday unanimously approved a bill that would make obstruction of a Medicaid fraud investigation a crime and expand the state's forfeiture law to include property obtained through Medicaid fraud, the AP/Wichita Eagle reports. The legislation, a compromise measure drafted by a House-Senate Conference committee, was unanimously approved by the state Senate last week. Under the bill, obstruction would include falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making a false statement in a Medicaid fraud investigation. Property seized through the bill's expanded forfeiture law would go to the state Medicaid Fraud Reimbursement Fund. In addition, the bill would allow the state attorney general's office to file a civil lawsuit to recover Medicaid payments. Under current law, only criminal charges can be filed. Defendants found liable in the civil cases would be subject to fines of up to $10,000. If fraud is proven, damages would equal three times the amount of Medicaid funds that were fraudulently collected from the state. The bill now goes to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) (AP/Wichita Eagle, 5/2).

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