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Committee hears AB315 to tighten Medicaid provider enrollment with notarization or electronic identity checks
Summary
AB315 would require notarized or electronic identity verification for Medicaid provider enrollment to reduce provider fraud. State Medicaid and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit described planned electronic 'liveness' verification; supporters include physicians' groups and provider coalitions. No opposition spoke and no vote was recorded.
Assembly Bill 315, introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Edgeworth (Assembly District 35), would require signature verification for entities and individuals applying to enroll as Medicaid providers in Nevada — either by notarization or by an approved electronic identity verification process — to limit provider enrollment fraud.
The bill and an accompanying amendment were described in a joint presentation by Edgeworth, Medicaid Division staff and representatives of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). Stacy Weeks, an official with Nevada Medicaid, told the committee the division is already planning a provider‑portal revamp that will include "liveness verification" (a facial‑scan/photo ID audit trail) to make online enrollment more secure. She said the proposed bill includes both notarization and electronic options so the division’s planned digital approach is preserved.
Why it matters: witnesses said criminal provider fraud causes substantial loss of public funds and complicates recovery of improperly paid dollars. Supporters argued identity verification at enrollment would help prove who submitted an application when fraud is later investigated.
Evidence and enforcement perspective Andrew Schulke, chief deputy attorney general and director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, testified in a neutral capacity that the proposed language would be useful in prosecuting cases where an individual has enrolled and committed fraud. Cynthia Leach of Medicaid’s surveillance and utilization review program said the MFCU receives roughly 40–45 credible allegations of fraud per year; she described signature verification as an additional enforcement tool. The presenters agreed to provide the committee with statistics from federal reports that track convictions and civil settlements for health‑care fraud.
Public and stakeholder testimony Providers and health‑care organizations broadly supported the bill. Diego Trujillo of Las Vegas Heals (a provider coalition) and representatives of physician and hospital groups testified in favor, saying the measure protects public dollars and the integrity of provider networks. The Nevada State Medical Association and other provider groups expressed support. No callers or witnesses opposed the bill during the hearing.
Committee questions and next steps Members asked how the requirement would apply to providers already enrolled and how it would affect entities with many owners. Medicaid staff said the liveness verification would be required for initial enrollment, the provider agreement and the contract, and that all owners would need to complete the verification. Staff emphasized the bill’s electronic verification option is designed to reduce paperwork burdens for legitimate providers while deterring bad actors. The hearing closed with no committee vote recorded; presenters offered to provide additional statistics on fraud cases and convictions.
Ending AB315 drew bipartisan support in the hearing from medical and provider stakeholders. Committee members requested detailed fraud‑statistic reports for staff and members before the bill moves forward for policy and potential budget considerations.
