Posted on 07/09/2026 7:41:27 AM PDT by DFG
The Trump administration says it has uncovered a dramatic increase in Medicare claims for tissue and organ transplants, resulting in a broad crackdown on suspected fraud that officials say has already blocked hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable payments.
Administration officials said Medicare claims for tissue and organ transplants, known as allografts, climbed from $200 million in 2019 to $14.4 billion in 2025—a 7,100 percent increase.
The surge led the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force, headed by Vice President JD Vance, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to intensify their review of claims. Since March, the agency has denied 96 percent of allograft claims identified during the review.
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said the agency identified 4,200 potentially fraudulent allograft claims totaling $224 million through May.
“That’s a lot of money,” Oz said during a Wednesday news conference in Milwaukee. “And that bankrupts not just hospital systems and physician groups, but it causes major problems across the entire landscape.”
The agency also announced enforcement actions involving Durable Medical Equipment (DME) including wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other medical equipment.
According to CMS, payments have been suspended to 102 suppliers, while billing privileges have been revoked for another 725 suppliers. The agency said those suppliers accounted for 8.6 percent of all Medicare-funded DME in 2025.
CMS officials reported they identified suspected fraud involving claims for equipment that was not medically necessary or ordered, equipment that was more expensive than prescribed, and equipment that was never delivered.
“In just six months, the task force has effectively wiped out Durable Medical Equipment fraud in America,” a spokesperson for Vance’s office said. “After the vice president and Dr. Oz announced a moratorium on new DME companies, paired with aggressive enforcement actions by DOJ and HHS, this kind of fraud has effectively ended.”
Oz said the administration’s efforts have already prevented significant losses.
“Thanks to the whole-of-government approach spearheaded by the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force, we stopped nearly $220 million in fraudulent skin substitute claims and suspended or revoked billing privileges for over 800 DME suppliers,” Oz told Fox News Digital. “We are keeping our promise to the American people: we will root out corruption, protect vulnerable patients, and hold every bad actor accountable.”
Oz also warned those engaged in health care fraud that the administration intends to continue its enforcement campaign.
“To anyone out there, and I’m talking to you if you’re a fraudster, for anyone out there who thinks they can get away by stealing from the American people, especially American patients, I’ve got a bit of advice for you: Do not walk away from this press conference. Don’t walk away from us. You start running because the vice president and this task force are coming after you,” Oz said.
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Is there any kind of fraud that DIDN’T go through the roof during Dementia Joe’s administration?
My cousin Matt had a heart transplant about four years ago and has been doing quite well.
My neighbor’s cousin’s husband got a kidney transplant yesterday.
Transplants are no longer exotic.
“Since March, the agency has denied 96 percent of allograft claims identified during the review.”
That’s nice. Now how about “We arrested 96% of the crooks, we got a 96% conviction rate, and we put away 96% of those for 96 year long prison terms.
Walz/Ellison/Omar ALREADY got away. It's TOO LATE NOW!...You know, process and decorum and stuff.
“Durable Medical Equipment (DME) including wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other medical equipment”
Fraud and abuse becomes more practical lower down the complexity chain such as with DME and physical therapy.
Doctors and hospitals have a lot invested in themselves and are less likely to commit outright fraud.
Billing growth must be monitored.
Some new guy shouldn’t be getting say $100 million of federal money after a mere year in business.
Start with the Congressman who buys a 10 million dollar property or two after serving in congress for $174,000 per annum.
Just a little hint.
The other thing is furriner MDs who are so saintly and come here to help us take care of American patients. They are almost always behind these big ripoff schemes. Revoke their green cards/citizenships.
I got my own dilemma.
GI and Gastro issues at age 71.
Need a med like Linzess.
This is the med that Big Pharma advertises on TV at $30 copay for a 90 day supply. With an asterisk.
Medicare participants are not eligible.
Last year my 90 day copay was $90 on Humana.
This year, 2026, its $600 copay for 90 day.
This fraud has been sucking down all these $$$.
yes, and it turns out Somalis are really world leaders in this area.
FWIW, I don’t think the largest percentage of fraud is occurring woth regard to major organ transplants.
What is your point? You don’t believe there is fraud here troll?
Houston transplant doctor indicted for making false statements in patients’ medical records
The false statements made eligible patients ineligible.
Holy moly, what a nightmare.
Abolish it.
How about nailing the thieves who let this all happen......
<><>Congressmen buying $10 million dollar properties on a salary of $174,000 per annum.
<><>”altruistic” foreign MDs are almost always behind these ripoff schemes.
Read this and weep:
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4387237/posts
Fake Indian doctors flood the US healthcare system.
DO THIS NOW: Revoke their green cards/citizenships at once.
Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, WIC, TANF, Sec8, LIHEAP, etc became much larger and more complex under Obama. That is when the current wave of fraud started. It existed under Trump 1 as Trump was more focused(distracted) by other issues.
COVID waived all rules of commonsense and opened the door wide to fraud. COVID “giveaways” also weakened our sense of ethics, or right and wrong. It became easier to say “well everyone is doing it” and rationalize it.
Biden just happened to be the wrong person at the wrong time in history. You don’t want someone asleep at the wheel when in heavy fast moving traffic.
The little research i have done about this fraud it appears it is mostly about skin grafts. People with minor wounds, people on palliative care and doing more than one graft in an area where it is not necessary and overbilling.
DR OZ & HIS GROUP HAVE BEEN A VERY PLEASANT SURPRISE...
BIDEN (OBAMA TERM #3) WAS VERY BUSY
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