On Thursday’s CBS Evening News and Friday’s CBS Mornings, correspondent Adam Yamaguchi revealed the network’s focus on rampant Medicare fraud in California’s hospice system has begun to bear fruit as local officials arrested nearly two dozen Thursday and the Trump administration banned the doctor at the center of one of Yamaguchi’s probes from filing claims.
Yet again, though, there remained one glaring issue with CBS’s reporting, which is the focus on the fact that this level of fraud is happening in California, one of the bluest states in the country and led by a leading possible 2028 Democrat, Governor Gavin Newsom.
“We have an update tonight in our CBS News investigation into hospice fraud in Southern California. Our team was the first to report charges filed against more than 20 suspects in what’s described as a $267 million fraud case with zero legitimate patients,” stated Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil.
WATCH: Thursday’s ‘CBS Evening News’ featured correspondent Adam Yamaguchi’s latest on the RAMPANT Medicare fraud in California’s hospice system as state law enforcement charged 21 suspects and Dr. Oz said @CMSGov has cut off Dr. Rajiv Bhuva — the subject of CBS’s previous… pic.twitter.com/b5M87KRZUS
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 10, 2026
Yamaguchi started with state law enforcement: “CBS News obtained exclusive body camera footage showing California Department of Justice officers raiding 10 homes and offices in a crackdown of suspected hospice fraud. State Attorney General Rob Bonta says they’ve charged 21 suspects.”
Of course, no party ID for Bonta, an ardent Democrat, as he told Yamaguchi “[w]hat will address fraud is us doing the hard work, heads down, sleeves rolled up, doing the investigation, doing the arrests, doing the prosecutions.”
What came next should put more pressure on California Democrats, given the role of the state (and not the federal government) on how the fraud has allegedly been carried out: “The suspects purchased personal information from the dark web, used it to enroll in California’s state-run Medicaid program, then used 14 hospice companies to bill the government for this phantom care. All of it coming from taxpayers.”
Yamaguchi pivoted to sharing the Trump administration was taking action against the subject of his story that first aired on Tuesday’s CBS Mornings, Dr. Rajiv Bhuva. The CBS reporter also lamented the subject has been “a political flashpoint”:
For months, CBS News has been uncovering signs of potential hospice fraud. We found one doctor’s name on claims from 126 hospices. He wouldn’t speak with us. Medicare chief Dr. Mehmet Oz announced on social media they revoked that doctor’s ability to bill the system. It’s become a political flashpoint with Democrats and Republicans trading blame, even as state and federal officials try to work together.
He heard from an official with California’s Department of Health Care Services, who insisted the state “remain[s] committed to partnership” on this issue, which served as Yamaguchi’s parting thought: “CBS News has learned those officials are now working through 300 open investigations in California.”
The same story aired on Friday’s CBS Mornings, even down to the lead-in. This time, co-host Nate Burleson delivered it:
We have an update on a CBS News investigation into allegations of sweeping hospice fraud. Prosecutors say California’s medicaid program was hit with $267 million in bogus payments. CBS News reported first that more than 20 suspects are facing charges.
To see the relevant CBS transcripts from April 9 and 10, click here (for the CBS Evening News) and here (for CBS Mornings).
