Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana has criticized California’s Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, over concerns about its spending practices. Reports suggest that the program is under scrutiny by the Trump administration due to allegations of fraud. Kennedy highlighted claims during a hearing that Medi-Cal covers exorcisms and other faith-based healing methods.
The state’s Medicaid expenses have increased significantly, with projections indicating a rise from approximately $100.7 billion in 2019 to $222 billion by 2026. Recently, the Trump administration halted $1.4 billion in federal funds for California’s home health and hospice programs after discovering an estimated $600 million in suspected fraud through Vice President J.D. Vance’s anti-fraud task force.
During his questioning of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Kennedy raised concerns about taxpayer money funding exorcisms, a practice commonly linked with the Catholic Church, as well as other indigenous spiritual rituals.
“California’s got 12% of the population in the last ten years,” Kennedy told Blanche. “They’re responsible for half of these new so-called health providers to provide exorcisms and other things. Now, what are we doing about it? Why has this gone on for so long?”
The Wall Street Journal reported that California provides Medicaid coverage for exorcisms and other spiritual services. In 2024, Medi-Cal expanded its coverage to include traditional tribal healers and natural helpers. These services, covered by public funds, include music therapy, ceremonies, rituals, and herbal remedies, according to a press release by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
To qualify as a traditional healer in the state, an individual must have been a spiritual leader within an American Indian tribe for at least two years and must be contracted by an Indian Health Care Provider. The criteria for natural helpers are less stringent and extend to any trusted member of an American Indian tribe.
Governor Newsom stated that expanding coverage to include tribal medicine aims to help heal historical wounds inflicted on tribes. In a press release, he mentioned that these inequities stem from historical atrocities committed by the U.S. against tribes.
“By supporting greater access to traditional medicine and healing, we are taking another step toward a healthier, brighter future,” Newsom commented.
The exact costs of Medi-Cal’s spending on traditional healers or natural helpers remain unknown. The California Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital before the publication of the article.
Elaine Mallon, a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, reports on national politics.