DOGE expands its reach to federal agencies and secures access to health payment systems

The recent expansion of Doge, led by Elon Musk, into federal agencies marks a significant shift in the intersection of technology and government efficiency. Notably, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has secured access to critical systems within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), enabling it to scrutinize payment and contracting practices aimed at identifying fraud and waste. This initiative aligns with broader governmental accountability goals articulated by President Trump, as confirmed by White House officials. By engaging directly with CMS staff on-site, DOGE is poised to implement technological assessments that could reshape federal spending dynamics.

 Representatives of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have been working at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services where they were granted access to agency systems and technology, CMS said on Wednesday.

CMS oversees Medicare, the health insurance program for older and disabled Americans, and Medicaid, for lower-income enrollees. Together they provide coverage for over 140 million people in the United States.

As federal workers braced for possible layoffs after a Thursday deadline that has led to at least 40,000 employees taking a buyout, DOGE staffers met with agencies facing sweeping cuts in a project that has gutted whole programs and given Musk’s team broad access to private data. In a little more than two weeks, the Trump megadonor — acting as a “special government employee” while still running the companies that have made him the richest man in the world — has probed all over for cuts and begun enacting some, helping to effectively shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development and suggesting that other departments could be next.

Musk's access to the Treasury payment system has sparked concern from Democratic lawmakers including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden, while a lawsuit was filed on Monday alleging "unlawful ongoing, systematic, and continuous disclosure of personal and financial information" to Musk and DOGE. The lawsuit, filed by two unions and the Alliance for Retired Americans, names U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the Treasury as defendants. 

"Controlling the system could allow the Trump Administration to 'unilaterally' — and illegally — cut off payments for millions of Americans, putting at risk the financial security of families and businesses based on political favoritism or the whims of Mr. Musk and those on his team who have worked their way inside," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, in a Feb. 2 letter to Bessent. 

Despite these controversies, DOGE’s efforts have already resulted in substantial budget cuts across various federal programs—most notably over $1 billion from diversity initiatives—highlighting a commitment to fiscal responsibility. While critics remain vocal about potential overreach, the agency's focus on enhancing operational efficiency positions it uniquely within a landscape increasingly reliant on technological integration for governance.

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Sarah H