Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to announce Medicaid fraud charges

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is announcing charges Tuesday afternoon against people accused of Medicaid fraud.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in his office has "filed several cases," Ellison said. He will make the announcement alongside law enforcement representatives at 2:45 p.m. CBS News Minnesota will cover it live. 

Last week, Minnesota's legislative watchdog urged the state to strengthen oversight of Medicaid-funded services after an assessment found the vulnerabilities could lead to fraud, waste and abuse.

According to the summary released Thursday, the Optum assessment identified vulnerabilities involving eligibility requirements, billing and coding practices, provider oversight and information technology controls. The report said weaknesses in those areas could increase the risk of improper payments or exploitation of state-funded programs.

Based on its review, the Office of the Legislative Auditor recommended stronger fraud detection efforts, clearer program requirements and enhanced technology systems capable of identifying suspicious billing patterns before payments are made.

This story will be updated.