>>Minnesota Resumes Payments to Some Medicaid Providers
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota is restoring Medicaid payments to some providers who were removed during the state’s recent revalidation effort aimed at identifying fraud and protecting federal funding. More than 3,400 providers were previously terminated after being classified as high-risk service providers. Some affected providers say they were caught off guard by the process and that legitimate businesses were swept up in the crackdown. State officials say the review is continuing as they work to distinguish fraudulent operators from providers delivering essential care.
>>Lawmakers Say Rural Hospital Funding Concerns Remain
(St. Paul, MN) — State lawmakers approved $500 million to help hospitals across Minnesota this session, including $205 million for Hennepin County Medical Center. But some legislators say the funding is only a temporary fix. Republican Representative Natalie Zeleznikar of northeastern Minnesota says hospitals are critical not only for the communities they serve, but also for the places where Minnesotans live, work, and recreate. She says lawmakers need to keep addressing the issue, warning that the loss of even one hospital can have ripple effects across the state.
>>Craig Unveils Pro-Democracy Agenda
(Eagan, MN) — U.S. Representative Angie Craig is unveiling what she calls a pro-democracy agenda aimed at countering what she describes as attacks on the nation’s democratic institutions by President Trump and his administration. The Minnesota Democrat is co-leading the Hands Off Elections Act, legislation that would bar executive branch officials from interfering in the administration of federal elections unless specifically authorized by law. Craig says the proposal is part of a broader five-point plan focused on protecting elections, defending free speech, combating corruption, preventing voter suppression, and reforming campaign finance laws.
>>Minnesota Man Found Liable for Submitting Fraudulent Claims
(St. Paul, MN) — A Hennepin County judge has ordered a Minnesota man to pay nearly $2.5 million after he was found liable for submitting fraudulent claims through a federal child nutrition program. The court ruled Emaldeldin Ibrahim must pay more than $2.48 million in damages, penalties and legal fees after a jury found he falsely billed the Child and Adult Care Food Program for meals and snacks that were never served or didn’t meet federal standards. Attorney General Keith Ellison says Ibrahim “stole tax dollars while pretending to feed hungry children during a pandemic.” The judgment includes treble damages, civil penalties, and more than $221,000 in attorneys’ fees and court costs.
>>Three Women Rescued After Boat Drifts Away on Cass County Lake
(Wilkinson Township, MN) — Three Minneapolis women are recovering after being rescued from Steamboat Lake in Cass County Thursday afternoon. The sheriff’s office says the women, ages 23, 25, and 28, had gone swimming after leaving their boat unanchored. Strong winds pushed the boat away, leaving them stranded in the water. One woman managed to swim to shore and alerted people at a nearby resort. Resort guests and a fisherman joined the search and helped pull the other two women to safety. All three were treated at the scene for exhaustion and water intake. Deputies say none of the women were wearing life jackets as wind gusts reached 25 to 30 miles per hour.
