Government agencies this month announced a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations that involved six cities and charges against 90 individuals for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $260 million in false billings. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) May 13 announcement featured south Florida, long considered a hotbed for Medicare fraud schemes, as ground zero for fraud, with 50 residents from south Florida and more than $65 million in false billings. The OIG hopes that this announcement, which involved the coordinated efforts of a variety of officials from federal and state enforcement agencies, will serve as a deterrent for others who might think that they can get away with committing fraud against federal programs like Medicare. “Today’s arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of our strike forces in combating Medicare and Medicaid fraud,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson. Laboratory compliance officers may view this announcement as a further demonstration of how various federal and state government agencies have learned to work together on a national and local level to detect and prosecute fraudsters. The announcement includes 26 individual cases with descriptions of […]
Government agencies this month announced a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations that involved six cities and charges against 90 individuals for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $260 million in false billings.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) May 13 announcement featured south Florida, long considered a hotbed for Medicare fraud schemes, as ground zero for fraud, with 50 residents from south Florida and more than $65 million in false billings.
The OIG hopes that this announcement, which involved the coordinated efforts of a variety of officials from federal and state enforcement agencies, will serve as a deterrent for others who might think that they can get away with committing fraud against federal programs like Medicare.
“Today’s arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of our strike forces in combating Medicare and Medicaid fraud,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson.
Laboratory compliance officers may view this announcement as a further demonstration of how various federal and state government agencies have learned to work together on a national and local level to detect and prosecute fraudsters. The announcement includes 26 individual cases with descriptions of the charges and enough information to allow an interested person to locate that actual court documents. Reviewing these documents can provide useful insights to compliance professionals.
Takeaway: The risks of being discovered if your laboratory or hospital has violated any laws or regulations increase almost daily, as evidenced by a recent government takedown of offending health care providers.
