Medicaid fraud busts in several states point out concerns for consumers

State officials are fighting a number of incidents of Medicaid fraud across the United States, including drug marketing, charging for services not performed and fraudulent billing.

Consumers can become Medicaid fraud victims due to the actions of doctors, pharmacists and medical equipment companies, according to The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicaid is funded by both local and federal governments to help provide health care to people who can't afford to pay.

Medicaid fraud can, but not always, affect some patients' ability to receive future care. "If their Medicaid number gets used with a certain prescription, it would show that they've received it in the past and they wouldn't be able to fill it in the future," Peter Ashkenaz, spokesman for the center, told Consumer Ally.