Medicare fraud

In the United States, Medicare fraud is the claiming of Medicare health care reimbursement to which the claimant is not entitled. There are many different types of Medicare fraud, all of which have the same goal: to collect money from the Medicare program illegitimately.

The total amount of Medicare fraud is difficult to track, because not all fraud is detected and not all suspicious claims turn out to be fraudulent. According to the Office of Management and Budget, Medicare "improper payments" were $47.9 billion in 2010, but some of these payments later turned out to be valid.[1] The Congressional Budget Office estimates that total Medicare spending was $528 billion in 2010.[2]

Types of Medicare fraud

Medicare fraud is typically seen in the following ways:

  1. Phantom billing: The medical provider bills Medicare for unnecessary procedures, or procedures that are never performed; for unnecessary medical tests or tests never performed; for unnecessary equipment; or equipment that is billed as new but is, in fact, used.
  2. Patient billing: A patient who is in on the scam provides his or her Medicare number in exchange for kickbacks. The provider bills Medicare for any reason and the patient is told to admit that he or she indeed received the medical treatment.
  3. Upcoding scheme and unbundling: Inflating bills by using a billing code that indicates the patient needs expensive procedures.

A 2011 crackdown on fraud charged "111 defendants in nine cities, including doctors, nurses, health care company owners and executives" of fraud schemes involving "various medical treatments and services such as home health care, physical and occupational therapy, nerve conduction tests and durable medical equipment."[3]

The Affordable Care Act of 2009 provides an additional $350 million to pursue physicians who are involved in both intentional/unintentional Medicare fraud through inappropriate billing. Strategies for prevention and apprehension include increased scrutiny of billing patterns, and the use of data analytics. The healthcare reform law also provides for stricter penalties; for instance, requiring physicians to return any overpayments to CMS within 60 days time.[4]

In recent years regulatory requirements tightened[5] and law enforcement has stepped up.[6][7][8]

Law enforcement and prosecution

Jimmy Carter signs Medicare-Medicaid Anti-Fraud and Abuse Amendments into law

The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as mandated by Public Law 95-452 (as amended), is to protect the integrity of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, to include Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as the health and welfare of the beneficiaries of those programs. The Office of Investigations for the HHS, OIG collaboratively works with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in order to combat Medicare Fraud.

Defendants convicted of Medicare fraud face stiff penalties according to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and disbarment from HHS programs. The sentence depends on the amount of the fraud. Defendants can expect to face substantial prison time, deportation (if not a US citizen), fines, and restitution.

In 1997, the federal government dedicated $100 million to federal law enforcement to combat Medicare fraud. That money pays over 400 FBI agents who investigate Medicare fraud claims. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Attorney's Office, and the U.S. Department of Justice created the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in Miami, Florida.[9] This group of anti-fraud agents has been duplicated in other cities where Medicare fraud is widespread. In Miami alone, over two dozen agents from various federal agencies investigate solely Medicare fraud. In May 2009, Attorney General Holder and HHS Secretary Sebelius Announce New Interagency Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) to combat Medicare fraud.[10] FBI Director Robert Mueller stated that the FBI and HHS OIG has over 2,400 open health care fraud investigations.[11]

The first "National Summit on Health Care Fraud” was held on January 28, 2010 to bring together leaders from the public and private sectors to identify and discuss innovative ways to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in the U.S. health care system.[12] The summit is the first national gathering on health care fraud between law enforcement and the private and public sectors and is part of the Obama Administration’s coordinated effort to fight health care fraud.

The Justice Department has used the False Claims Act to recover more than $7.7 billion from January 2009 to June 2012 in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.[13]

Columbia/HCA fraud case

The Columbia/HCA fraud case is one of the largest examples of Medicare fraud in U.S. history. Numerous New York Times stories, beginning in 1996, began scrutinizing Columbia/HCA's business and Medicare billing practices. These culminated in the company being raided by Federal agents searching for documents and eventually the ousting of the corporation's CEO, Rick Scott, by the board of directors.[14] Among the crimes uncovered were doctors being offered financial incentives to bring in patients, falsifying diagnostic codes to increase reimbursements from Medicare and other government programs, and billing the government for unnecessary lab tests,[15] though Scott personally was never charged with any wrongdoing. HCA wound up pleading guilty to more than a dozen criminal and civil charges and paying fines totaling $1.7 billion. In 1999, Columbia/HCA changed its name back to HCA, Inc.

In 2001, HCA reached a plea agreement with the U.S. government that avoided criminal charges against the company and included $95 million in fines.[16] In late 2002, HCA agreed to pay the U.S. government $631 million, plus interest, and pay $17.5 million to state Medicaid agencies, in addition to $250 million paid up to that point to resolve outstanding Medicare expense claims.[17] In all, civil lawsuits cost HCA more than $1.7 billion to settle, including more than $500 million paid in 2003 to two whistleblowers.[16]

Medicare fraud reporting by whistleblowers

Main article: False Claims Act

The DOJ Medicare fraud enforcement efforts rely heavily on healthcare professionals coming forward with information about Medicare fraud. Federal law allows individuals reporting Medicare fraud to receive full protection from retaliation from their employer and collect up to 30% of the fines that the government collects as a result of the whistleblower's information.[18] According to US Department of Justice figures, whistleblower activities contributed to over $13 billion in total civil settlements in over 3,660 cases stemming from Medicare fraud in the 20-year period from 1987 to 2007.[19]

Omnicare fraud

In November 2009, Omnicare paid $98 million to the federal government to settle five qui tam lawsuits brought under the False Claims Act and government charges that the company had paid or solicited a variety of kickbacks.[20] The company admitted no wrongdoing.[21] The charges included allegations that Omnicare solicited and received kickbacks from a pharmaceutical manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, in exchange for agreeing to recommend that physicians prescribe Risperdal, a Johnson & Johnson antipsychotic drug, to nursing home patients.

Starting in 2006, healthcare entrepreneur Adam B. Resnick sued Omnicare, a major supplier of drugs to nursing homes, under the False Claims Act, as well as the parties to the company’s illegal kickback schemes. Omnicare allegedly paid kickbacks to nursing home operators in order to secure business, which constitutes Medicare fraud and Medicaid fraud. Omnicare allegedly had paid $50 million to the owners of the Mariner Health Care Inc. and SavaSeniorCare Administrative Services LLC nursing home chains in exchange for the right to continue providing pharmacy services to the nursing homes.[22]

In 2010, Omnicare settled Resnick's False Claims Act suit that had been taken up by the U.S. Department of Justice by paying $19.8 million to the federal government, while Mariner and SavaSeniorCare settled for $14 million.[23][24]

2010 Medicare Fraud Strike Task Force Charges

Main article: 2010 Medicaid Fraud

2011 Medicare Fraud Strike Task Force Charges

In September 2011, a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in eight cities resulted in charges against 91 defendants for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $295 million in false billing.[32]

2012 Medicare Fraud Strike Task Force Charges

In 2012, Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in Detroit resulted in convictions[33] against 2 defendants for their participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $1.9 million in false billing.

Victor Jayasundera, a physical therapist, pleaded guilty on January 18, 2012 and was sentenced in the Eastern District of Michigan. In addition to his 30-month prison term, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $855,484 in restitution, joint and several with his co-defendants.

Fatima Hassan, co-owned a company known as Jos Campau Physical Therapy with Javasundera, pleaded guilty on August 25, 2011, for her role in the Medicare fraud schemes and on May 17, 2012, was sentenced to 48 months in prison.

2013 Medicare Fraud Strike Task Force Charges

In May 2013, Federal officials charged 89 people including doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals in eight U.S. cities on Tuesday with Medicare fraud schemes that the government said totaled over $223 million in false billings.[34] The bust took more than 400 law enforcement officers including FBI agents in Miami, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and other cities to make the arrests.[35]

2015 Medicare Fraud Strike Task Force Charges

In June 2015, Federal officials charged 243 people including 46 doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with Medicare fraud schemes. The government said the fraudulent schemes netted approximately $712 million in false billings in what is the largest crackdown undertaken by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The defendants were charged in the Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Texas, Central District of California, Eastern District of Louisiana, Northern District of Texas, Northern District of Illinois and the Middle District of Florida.[36]

See also

References

  1. ↑ politifact.com (2011-01-04). Retrieved on 2011-01-05.
  2. ↑ "The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2010 to 2020" (PDF). Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "hhs.gov". hhs.gov. 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  4. ↑ Westgate, Aubrey "Medicare Fraud and Abuse and Your Practice". "Physicians Practice". May 2012.
  5. ↑ "cms.gov" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  6. ↑ "oig.hhs.gov" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  7. ↑ Allen, Greg (2010-02-23). "m.npr.org". m.npr.org. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  8. ↑ "Medicare Fraud Reporting Center - Report Medicare Fraud Here - What is Medicare Fraud?". Medicarefraudcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  9. ↑ Feds Fight Rampant Medicare Fraud in South Florida. NPR. Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
  10. ↑ Attorney General Holder and HHS Secretary Sebelius Announce New Interagency Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team. Hhs.gov (2010-10-18). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
  11. ↑ Johnson, Carrie (June 25, 2009). "53 in Detroit and Miami Indicted in Medicare Fraud Sting". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  12. ↑ Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Attorney General Eric Holder Convene National Summit on Health Care Fraud, Unveil Historic Commitment to Fighting Fraud in President’s FY 2011 Budget. Hhs.gov (2010-10-18). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
  13. ↑ "New Jersey Hospital Pays U.s. $8,999,999 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations". US Department of Justice. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  14. ↑ Moewe, M.C. (April 17, 2006). "Jacksonville Business Journal Friday, April 14, 2006". Jacksonville.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  15. ↑ Bringing HCA Back to Life After years of scandal. Fortune Magazine Feb 2004
  16. 1 2 M.C. Moewe (April 14, 2006). "Ex-Columbia chief helps grow Solantic". Jacksonville Business Journal.
  17. ↑ Julie Appleby (December 18, 2002). "HCA to settle more allegations for $631M". USA Today.
  18. ↑ "Medicare Fraud Center - Report Medicare Fraud Here".
  19. ↑ "Who can become a Medicare fraud whistleblower?".
  20. ↑ Department of Justice (November 3, 2009). "Nation's largest nursing home pharmacy and drug manufacturer to pay $112 million to settle false claims act cases".
  21. ↑ Hilzenrath, David S. (January 16, 2010). "Justice suit accuses Johnson & Johnson of paying kickbacks". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
  22. ↑ U.S. Department of Justice (March 4, 2009). "Complaint of the United States in the District Court of Massachusetts CA No. 06-10149 RGS" (PDF).
  23. ↑ Ameet, Sachdev (February 11, 2010). "Scheme's victims Scheme's victims seeking restitution FDIC could get most of payment; FDIC could get most of payment". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  24. ↑ "Prominent New York City Real Estate Investor, Attorney and Atlanta Nursing Home Chains Pay $14 Million to Settle Whistleblower Kickback Case". PR Newswire. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  25. 1 2 Federal Bureau of Investigation press release, July 16, 2010, Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 94 Doctors, Health Care Company Owners, Executives, and Others for More Than $251 Million in Alleged False Billing
  26. 1 2 Miami Herald, Feds charge 94 medicare suspects in Miami other cities, July 17, 2010, Jay Weaver
  27. ↑ Authorities charge 94 suspects for medicare fraud, PBS Newshour, July 16, 2010, accessed July 17, 2010, Lea Winerman
  28. ↑ Armenianweekly.com: Dozens of Armenians Charged with Largest Medicare Scam Ever
  29. ↑ NYPost.com: Armenian gangsters charged in $160M Medicare scam
  30. ↑ Ailsa Chang (October 14, 2010). "52 arrested in sweeping Medicare fraud case". National Public Radio. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  31. ↑ "Feds take down largest-ever Medicare fraud ring". Mass Device. October 14, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  32. ↑ "Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 91 Dr Barbour of Palm Springs CaIndividuals for Approximately $295 Million in False Billing" (Press release). U.S. Department of Justice. September 7, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Co-Owner of Detroit-Area Therapy Company Sentenced to 30 Months for Medicare Fraud Scheme". U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  34. ↑ Recent Medicare Fraud Scams and Busts Hank Pomeranz, Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  35. ↑ U.S. charges 89 people in Medicare fraud schemes U.S. Department of Justice: Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  36. ↑ National Medicare Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Against 243 Individuals for Approximately $712 Million in False Billing U.S. Department of Justice: Retrieved June 23, 2015.
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