Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, the Republican nominee for attorney general, has landed in the middle of a Medicaid firestorm after a pair of May radio interviews where he floated the idea of cutting parts of the state’s massive health coverage program, including federal waiver-funded in-home care. Democrats, health care providers and disability advocates quickly pushed back, warning that rolling back waivers or other benefits could put coverage for millions of Ohioans on the line. Faber’s campaign is now stressing that his focus is on rooting out fraud and waste, not scrapping the program outright.
What He Told Talk Radio
In one May interview, Faber said Ohio spends very large sums on Medicaid and described himself as a “small-government conservative” who thinks some programs should be eliminated in favor of tighter controls. He tied that view directly to audits and fraud investigations his office has pursued as state auditor. The full exchange aired on the Bruce Hooley Show and has since circulated in state political coverage.
Waiver Home Care in the Hot Seat
On a separate May appearance, Faber zeroed in on Medicaid-funded home-care waivers, arguing that programs are harder to police when family members are the paid caregivers. He suggested lawmakers should take a hard look at whether some of those waiver programs still make sense. Faber also pointed to what he called high utilization in certain immigrant communities while alleging abuse of the system, rhetoric that critics blasted as both unnecessary and harmful. Those comments aired on Sunday Nights With Bill Cunningham.
Campaign Walk-Back, Sort Of
Once the audio clips started making the rounds, reporters pressed Faber’s team on whether he actually supports ending Medicaid or major pieces of it. A campaign advisor sidestepped that question and instead emphasized that Faber “supports the lawful use of Medicaid dollars as a safety net” and opposes unlawful use. The statement arrived as outlets highlighted the radio interviews and examined how Republican officials have leaned on provider fraud reports when arguing for program changes. That reporting was produced by the Ohio Capital Journal and republished by Columbus Underground.
Medicaid by the Numbers in Ohio
Ohio’s Medicaid program now covers more than 3 million residents and accounts for a substantial share of state spending. By the Health Policy Institute of Ohio’s accounting, the program totaled roughly $43.2 billion in state fiscal year 2025, which makes any talk of shrinking it a high-stakes policy conversation. Medicaid covers more than a quarter of the state’s population and includes multiple home-and-community services waivers that allow people to receive care at home instead of in institutions. The overall financing picture is laid out by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, while county-level enrollment details appear in statewide fact sheets from Community Solutions.
Fraud Crackdown and a National Sweep
There is no question that prosecutors have real Medicaid fraud cases to chase. In June 2026, a coordinated federal and state enforcement sweep led to charges against 455 defendants nationwide and more than $6.5 billion in alleged false claims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit joined in and announced a set of state indictments connected to that effort, including several home-health cases and six providers accused of stealing roughly $326,824 in state charges. The national takedown is detailed by the U.S. Department of Justice, while Ohio’s role is outlined by the Ohio Attorney General’s office.
What an AG Can and Cannot Do on Medicaid
Even with aggressive rhetoric, an Ohio attorney general does not get to unilaterally decide who keeps Medicaid coverage. The AG’s office can investigate and prosecute fraud through the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and can try to influence public debate, but it does not run the program. Eligibility rules, waiver design and financing are handled by the Ohio Department of Medicaid and the General Assembly, with federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approval required for the waiver authorities that fund many in-home services. Ending or shrinking waiver programs would require state policy changes and federal sign-off. Federal guidance and a full list of current waivers appear on Medicaid.gov, while Ohio’s waiver framework is written into state law at codes.ohio.gov. In May testimony to the Ohio House Medicaid Committee, Faber himself underscored that as auditor he “follows the money” but does not administer Medicaid programs, a point laid out in his Keith Faber testimony.
Political Blowback and What Comes Next
Democratic attorney general nominee John Kulewicz has argued that highlighting provider fraud is being used as political cover for potential cuts. He says Faber’s comments amount to a threat to coverage for low-income Ohioans who depend on Medicaid for both routine and long-term care. Local Democrats have echoed that criticism, calling the rhetoric dangerous for families that rely on in-home services funded through waiver programs. Those reactions are summarized in reporting by the Ohio Capital Journal.
Faber’s radio remarks have now turned Medicaid into a central flashpoint in the attorney general race. Voters, providers and advocacy groups will be watching to see whether the next AG mainly flexes prosecutorial muscle against fraud, or whether talk about trimming Medicaid evolves into concrete proposals that move through the legislature and federal review. For now, the campaign is being forced to answer a blunt question that many Ohioans with Medicaid coverage are asking themselves: how safe is their care if the chopping block comes out?
