Summer Experience Spotlight: Paige Mitchell at the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
This summer, Paige Mitchell had an opportunity to intern with the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). From her first day, she says, one theme became clear: teamwork.
“A skill every employee at the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit must have is to be willing to be a team player,” Mitchell explained.
That sense of collaboration became especially meaningful when Mitchell participated in a meeting during which they were preparing investigators to testify.
“I was able to give input on various questions and offer up suggestions,” she recalled. “When we received the outcomes we wanted later that week, I felt proud to be a part of the team representing the state of Missouri.”
Her work involved supporting attorneys and investigators as they built cases. She sifted through interviews and evidence, helping lay the groundwork for prosecutions that ultimately return funds to the state.
“At the moment a guilty plea is taken by the defendant, the state can receive the money they are owed, which shows how integral this unit is to making sure Medicaid is functioning to its fullest capacity and those who need services get what they need,” Mitchell said.
The details required to bring a case surprised her most: From analyzing evidence to meeting the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, she came to appreciate how precision shapes outcomes.
Beyond the cases, Mitchell reflects on the culture of the office just as powerfully. Informal conversations with attorneys often turned into extended lessons in law and prosecution, and daily lunches and coffee hours revealed the passion of her colleagues.
“There were moments I would have a simple question to ask an attorney about the legal system, and it would turn into a whole seminar because they were passionate about what they do and willing to show their passion through teaching me about the law and being a prosecutor,” she said.
The experience, she says, affirmed her interest in health law and deepened her understanding of Medicaid.
“Through the summer, by working with talented attorneys and investigators, I was able to build a foundation of understanding Medicaid and what it means to be a prosecutor and go after those who have committed fraud.”