Barry against Pursuing $34 Million Misspent: Medicaid Can Be Recovered, Aide Insists

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Mayor Marion Barry says the District should not attempt to recover $34 million in misspent Medicaid dollars, even though the city is millions of dollars in debt.

Mr. Barry said the city would not be able to get any taxpayer money back from First Health Services Corp. in Richmond because states with similar disputes involving First Health tried and failed to recover lost money.

"Others have tried, and didn't get nowhere," said Mr. Barry during an interview yesterday. "To go back and do all of this wouldn't be worth the money."

But D.C. Inspector General Angela L. Avant, who was hired by Mr. Barry, disagrees with him.

"It doesn't make any …