Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Administration Cracking Down On Medicare And Medicaid Billing Cheats
The Fiscal Times: White House Takes Aim At Billions In Medicare And Medicaid Fraud
Alarmed by the tens of billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid fraud and overpayments annually that are draining the federal health care system, the Obama administration has quietly stepped up its auditing and enforcement efforts to crack down on doctors, hospitals and other medical facilities cheating on their billings. (Pianin, 9/4)
The Hill: White House Sought Safeguards To Reduce Obamacare Fraud
The White House is calling for a “more aggressive strategy” to reduce improper payments made by Medicare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a letter made public to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Center for Public Integrity obtained the February letter — written by Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan and addressed to HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell — after a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. (Sullivan, 9/4)
Meanwhile, fraud convictions are handed down for two Potomac, Md. doctors -
The Associated Press: Husband And Wife Physicians Convicted Of Health Care Fraud
Two Potomac [Md.] doctors who owned and operated a pain management clinic have been convicted of health care fraud. A federal jury in Greenbelt on Friday convicted 60-year-old Paramjit Singh Ajrawat and his wife, 57-year-old Sukhveen Kaur Ajrawat, of numerous offenses, including health care and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and aggravated identity theft. (9/4)
