WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Representatives of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have been working at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services where they were granted access to agency systems and technology, CMS said on Wednesday.
CMS oversees Medicare, the health insurance program for older and disabled Americans, and Medicaid, for lower-income enrollees. Together they provide coverage for over 140 million people in the United States.
"CMS has two senior Agency veterans – one focused on policy and one focused on operations – who are leading the collaboration with DOGE, including ensuring appropriate access to CMS systems and technology," the agency said in a statement.
Musk, the world's richest man, has been tasked by U.S. President Donald Trump to identify fraud and waste in government. Musk has in a matter of days been able to exert unprecedented control over America's 2.2-million-member federal workforce and begin a dramatic reshaping of government.
"We are taking a thoughtful approach to see where there may be opportunities for more effective and efficient use of resources in line with meeting the goals of President Trump," the CMS statement said.
CMS regularly deals with improper payments that represent fraud or abuse but might also be due to a state, contractor, or provider missing an administrative step.
The development was first reported on Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal, which citing people familiar with the matter, said DOGE representatives had gained access to key payment and contracting systems.
The representatives have been on site at the agency's offices this week and are looking at the technology on which the systems run, as well as the spending that flows through them, with a focus on pinpointing what they consider fraud or waste, according to the report, opens new tab.
DOGE representatives are also examining the agency's organizational design and how it is staffed, the WSJ said.
Referencing the WSJ report, Musk - without providing evidence - posted "this is where the big money fraud is happening," on social media platform X, which he owns.
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