Taxpayer spending on 'exorcisms' derails Senate testimony: 'What the hell are we doing about it?'
Senator John Kennedy raised concerns during a Senate hearing about California's Medi-Cal program covering taxpayer-funded exorcisms and other faith-based healing practices. The scrutiny comes amid allegations of fraud within the state's Medicaid system, which has seen significant spending increases. Medi-Cal expanded its coverage in 2024 to include traditional tribal healing practices, prompting further debate over the appropriateness of such expenditures.
- ▪Senator John Kennedy questioned the appropriateness of taxpayer dollars being used for exorcisms during a Senate hearing.
- ▪California's Medi-Cal program has faced scrutiny as its Medicaid spending has more than doubled since 2019.
- ▪The Trump administration recently suspended $1.4 billion in federal funding for California home health programs due to suspected fraud.
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| Canonical URL | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taxpayer-spending-exorcisms-derails-senate-testimony-what-hell-we-doing-about-it |
| Publication time | Thu, 21 May 2026 06:00:18 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-21T10:06:10.479Z |
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Health Care Regulations Taxpayer spending on 'exorcisms' derails Senate testimony: 'What the hell are we doing about it?' Medi-Cal expanded coverage for tribal spiritual interventions, ceremonies, and herbal remedies in 2024 By Elaine Mallon Fox News Published May 21, 2026 6:00am EDT Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy questions acting AG Todd Blanche on Medicaid spending on 'exorcisms' Sen. John Kennedy pressed Acting AG Todd Blanche during a Senate hearing over California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, citing reports that taxpayer-funded coverage includes exorcisms and other faith-based healing practices tied to tribal medicine. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Sen.
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