1. A. There is hereby created within the Office of the Attorney General, a Medicaid fraud control unit.
2. B. The Medicaid fraud control unit shall be the state entity to which all cases of suspected Medicaid fraud shall be referred by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority or its fiscal agents for the purposes of investigation, civil action, criminal action or referral to the district attorney. Provided however, nothing contained in the Oklahoma Medicaid Program Integrity Act shall prohibit the Oklahoma Health Care Authority from investigating or additionally referring to other proper law enforcement agencies cases of suspected Medicaid fraud.

3. C.

   1. 1. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Attorney General shall have all the powers necessary to comply with federal laws and regulations relative to the operation of a Medicaid fraud unit, the power to cross-designate assistant United States attorneys as assistant attorneys general, the power to investigate cases of patient abuse, the power to issue or cause to be issued subpoenas or other process in aid of investigations and prosecutions, the power to administer oaths and take sworn statements under penalty of perjury, the power to serve and execute in any county, search warrants which relate to investigations authorized by the Oklahoma Medicaid Program Integrity Act and shall have all the powers of a district attorney.
   2. 2. Subpoenas ad testificandum or duces tecum issued pursuant to the Oklahoma Medicaid Program Integrity Act may be served by the Attorney General, any peace officer, or any competent person over eighteen (18) years of age, and may require attendance or production at any place in this state. A refusal to obey such subpoena, or willful failure to appear, be sworn, testify, or produce records at the place and time specified shall constitute contempt and shall be enforced by the district court of the county where issued or the county where served, at the election of the Attorney General, as if it was a contempt on that court.
4. D. The Attorney General shall have authority to collect all penalties, amounts of restitution, or interest accruing on any amount of restitution to be made and any penalties to be paid from and after default in the payment thereof levied pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program Integrity Act. However, this subsection is not in any way intended to affect the contempt power of any court.

Laws 1989, HB 1447, c. 220, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 1989; Amended by Laws 1990, HB 1901, c. 144, § 2, emerg. eff. May 1, 1990; Amended by Laws 1995, HB 1838, c. 306, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 1995.