Govt: Medicare Paid $47 Billion in Suspect Claims

Associated Press ^ | November 14, 2009 | Hope Yen

[reaganaut1]

The government paid more than $47 billion in questionable Medicare claims including medical treatment showing little relation to a patient's condition, wasting taxpayer dollars at a rate nearly three times the previous year.

Excerpts of a new federal report, obtained by The Associated Press, show a dramatic increase in improper payments in the $440 billion Medicare program that has been cited by government auditors as a high risk for fraud and waste for 20 years.

It's not clear whether Medicare fraud is actually worsening. Much of the increase in the last year is attributed to a change in the Health and Human Services Department's methodology that imposes stricter documentation requirements and includes more improper payments — part of a data-collection effort being ordered government-wide by President Barack Obama next week to promote "honest budgeting" and accurate statistics.

Still, the fiscal 2009 financial report — covering the first few months of the Obama administration — highlights the challenges ahead for a government that is seeking in part to pay for its proposed health care overhaul by cracking down on Medicare fraud. While noting that several new anti-fraud efforts were beginning, the government report makes clear that "aggressive actions" to date aimed at reducing improper payments had yielded little improvement.

In recent years, the suspect claims have included Medicare prescriptions from doctors who were dead, and requests for payment for medical supplies such as blood glucose strips for sexual impotence and diabetic shoes for leg amputees. Patients, many of them new citizens who barely speak English, are sometimes recruited by brokers who go door-to-door offering hundreds of dollars for use of their Medicare numbers.

Obama is expected to announce new initiatives next week to help crack down on Medicare fraud, including a government-wide Web site

[reaganaut1]

A public option -- Medicare for all -- would also be victimized by fraud and would not reduce health care costs.

[rbg81]

Exactly. Anyone who says Government run health care would reduce fraud is either: willfully ignorant, hallucinating, a blatent liar, or ..... planning their own scam. At least insurance companies have a profit motive. A given individual might get raked over the coals about an authorization or claim, but the tradeoff is cost containment. And you can bet that the Agency that runs this will be stacked with Leftists and Acorn alumnuses. Fraud containment will be the LAST thing on their minds. Fraud will be winked at and paid for by cutting fees to honest doctors and denying necessary procedures for elderly citizens.

[goldstategop]

We're told Obamacare will finally fix the fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid.

Yeah, sure.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[dools007]

The American government is responsible for more fraud, waste and abuse than the private sector has ever and will ever generate.

[mombyprofession]

But... but... I thought government run medicine was going to eliminate fraud and waste!!!/sarc

[victim soul]

Anything the AP reports has to be questioned as well.

Show me the DATA!!! And its source!!!

[Dysart]

This "report" is a setup, a trap. Nothing more than pure propaganda disseminated now for a political purpose.

Fraud, waste, and abuse is defined by bureaucrats, and their definitions change to fit their budget and policy goals. The old F.W.A. canard is greatly exaggerated. Just realize that there are elements of this in any such system, and you cannot name one that does not. They would have gullible readers overreact to these reports in order to generate enthusiasm and momentum for--and justify extreme measures to impose-- "reform."

Reducing inefficiencies should always be a worthy and constant goal in HC administration but this old hobgoblin is a deception. Trust me on this and don't fall for it.

[rfp1234]

That’s “only” $1,000 for each “uninsured American”, according to their B.S. inflated numbers.

[socialismisinsidious]

Well when you get to vote buy with other peoples’ money (and have access to an unlimited amount more) you’re not going to be careful, respectful or mindful of it.

[socialismisinsidious]

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[mia]

My husband was channel surfing tonight and was amazed by the number of channels that featured individuals who could not afford health insurance. If the government wants to talk about a scam, they should look no further than themselves because they are scamming us.

[Mrs. Don-o]

bump