U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced federal actions to combat Affordable Care Act fraud.
The move targets systemic loopholes in the enrollment process to prevent the misuse of federal health-care spending. Officials said the crackdown is necessary to safeguard taxpayer funds from widespread fraudulent activity.
During an announcement in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 27, 2026 [1], the officials detailed their strategy to secure the program. Kennedy said that more than one million people enrolled in Obamacare lack Social Security numbers [2].
Kennedy said, "Obamacare is plagued by fraud" [3]. He said that the absence of proper identification for a significant portion of the enrollee base creates a vulnerability in the system.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, focused on the financial implications of these loopholes. Oz said, "We need to protect taxpayer dollars and close loopholes that allow fraud in the ACA" [4].
The administration intends to implement new verification steps to ensure that only eligible individuals receive subsidies, and coverage. This effort follows reports that the lack of Social Security numbers for over one million enrollees [2] has allowed ineligible individuals to access federal benefits.
The initiative aims to reduce the federal deficit by eliminating improper payments. By tightening the enrollment requirements, the agency intends to ensure that the health-care safety net remains solvent for legal residents, and eligible citizens.
“"Obamacare is plagued by fraud."”
This policy shift signals a transition toward stricter eligibility enforcement within the Affordable Care Act. By prioritizing the verification of Social Security numbers, the administration is moving to reduce federal spending on ineligible enrollees, which may lead to a decrease in total enrollment numbers but an increase in the program's fiscal oversight.
