Anti-fraud efforts snagged $1.1 billion in ’07...is this something to be proud of?

Anti-fraud efforts snagged $1.1 billion in ’07

Fraud-busting efforts of the Justice Department and HHS brought in $1.1 billion in fiscal 2007 for the federal government and private whistle-blowers, according to the annual report of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program.
Two-thirds of the $249 million allotted in 2007 went to the HHS’ inspector general’s office and accounts for the majority of its resources.

Not sure if this is something to boast about!>?

What about the NCFE case in Ohio? National Century Finance Enterprises, Inc., the largest private fraud case in the history of this country!


In fiscal 2007. the agencies appropriated $166 million from the Medicare trust fund and recovered $1.1 billion

In fiscal 2006, the agencies appropriated $241 million from the Medicare trust fund and recovered $1.8 billion


Posted: December 3, 2008 - 3:00 pm EDT

Fraud-busting efforts of the Justice Department and HHS brought in $1.1 billion in fiscal 2007 for the federal government and private whistle-blowers, according to the annual report of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program.The program, established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, calls for the agencies to appropriate money from the Medicare trust fund to fight fraud perpetrated against federal health programs. Two-thirds of the $249 million allotted in 2007 went to the HHS’ inspector general’s office and accounts for the majority of its resources.

The dollars returned to the federal treasury as a result included $201 million in criminal fines, $211 million in penalties and damages, and $186 million from disallowed payments identified and recovered through audits. In fiscal 2006, the agencies appropriated $241 million from the Medicare trust fund and recovered $1.8 billion. Money collected on behalf of state Medicaid programs and private payers is not represented in the figures. (See the reports for 2007 and 2006.) -- by Gregg Blesch


http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081203/REG/312039974/1024/rss01&rssfeed=rss01&nocache=1&nocache=1