A Minnesota policy expert has warned that the state’s response to alleged fraud involving Medicaid-funded assisted-living providers remains inadequate, despite national attention and claimed losses running into billions. Bill Glahn argues that rapid licensing growth, continuing criminal allegations and insufficient accountability within state agencies mean the underlying risks have not been resolved.

Glahn said 364 provisional assisted-living facilities were licensed in the past year, roughly 20% of the state’s estimated 2,500 facilities, and called for a 90-day licensing pause. He cited an August criminal case against Salman Ahmed Elmi, who faces eight felony theft charges over alleged Medicaid billing fraud; the complaint also alleges links involving businesses, former commercial-sex-service properties and people investigators associate with a sex-trafficking organisation. Glahn criticised Governor Tim Walz’s administration for what he described as weak oversight and a failure to remove officials who missed earlier schemes.