The government’s attempt to eliminate fraud and waste from the Medicare Program represents another strategy to reduce Medicare spending.  As this effort to eliminate fraud and cut waste unfolds, and as Congress hears repeated horror stories regarding abuses and waste, there will be increased scrutiny on healthcare providers.  Some will be justified, some not.  

We have not so quietly entered a new political environment where voters increasingly are demanding that government work better.  This political storm, which could become a hurricane, will impact healthcare.

By Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media

The Office of Inspector General recovered $4 billion in fraudulent Medicare charges last year, but that sum is “just the tip of the iceberg” in the amount of corrupt practices overcharging taxpayers, Daniel Levinson, the agency’s chief, testified Thursday.

“More disturbing, even if the rate of fraud remains constant, as healthcare expenditures continue to rise, the financial impact of healthcare fraud will continue to increase,” he said.

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$4 Billion in Fraudulent Medicare Charges Found in 2009