Healthcare Fraud
Fraud is a serious crime that should concern all parties of the U.S. health care system and is a costly reality that the government cannot overlook. While not all fraud can be prevented, by learning about the many different types of fraud, patients can be educated on how to protect themselves from fraud. If we use government programs to inform the public that they can be targeted, the dollar amount for these cases for fraud can be reduced. An informed public and a properly funded FBI will go a long ways in the overall crackdown of health care fraud.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is spending large amounts of its budget to crack down on health care fraud. Special units have been formed to help the FBI Crimes Section find these criminals and take them to court to seek proper punishment. Crimes are being committed by both providers and insurance companies on a daily basis. Moreover, their patients and subscribers are being punished with improper coverage and over-priced procedures and prescriptions. The FBI is one of the leading organizations in the fight against health care fraud. The Health Care Fraud Unit was established in 1992 to insure the success of investigations which have a national impact on the health care fraud crime problem. Furthermore, their mission is to concentrate their investigative resources on multi-district investigations of large health care providers that are being sought out for fraud against both public and private payers of health benefits. The FBI coordinates their efforts with other law enforcement agencies and regulatory agencies. Some of the regulatory agencies that they work with include the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Health Care Financing Administration, which is in charge of both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Despite the power of the Health Care Fraud Unit, no investigations are actually conducted by this unit. Its primary function is to assist and
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is spending large amounts of its budget to crack down on health care fraud. Special units have been formed to help the FBI Crimes Section find these criminals and take them to court to seek proper punishment. Crimes are being committed by both providers and insurance companies on a daily basis. Moreover, their patients and subscribers are being punished with improper coverage and over-priced procedures and prescriptions. The FBI is one of the leading organizations in the fight against health care fraud. The Health Care Fraud Unit was established in 1992 to insure the success of investigations which have a national impact on the health care fraud crime problem. Furthermore, their mission is to concentrate their investigative resources on multi-district investigations of large health care providers that are being sought out for fraud against both public and private payers of health benefits. The FBI coordinates their efforts with other law enforcement agencies and regulatory agencies. Some of the regulatory agencies that they work with include the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Health Care Financing Administration, which is in charge of both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Despite the power of the Health Care Fraud Unit, no investigations are actually conducted by this unit. Its primary function is to assist and
References: "About the Health Care Fraud Unit." Federal Bureau of Investigation 25 Oct. 2004. "Health Care Fraud: A Serious and Costly Reality for All Americans." National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association 25 Oct. 2004. "Health Care Fraud Video Text." Federal Bureau of Investigation 25 Oct. 2004. "Medical Fraud: Indications of Medical Fraud." American International Group 25 Oct. 2004. "Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism." Food and Drug Administration Sept. 2001.