Striking with speed – Feds go after Medicare fraud

Using cutting-edge technology, the strike force can identify Medicare irregularities at unprecedented speeds, completing in days what used to take months. The strike force harnesses resources from the Justice Department, U.S. Health and Human Services and law enforcement.......seems the government has been busy in my backyard of Houston, Texas (as well as other places around the country):

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/breaking/6525026.html

And by the way, if you don’t think the government is serious about cracking down on healthcare fraud; consider the following 2008 statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Healthcare fraud recovered: $2.35 billion;

Individuals or entities barred from billing Medicare or Medicaid: 3,100

Criminal actions involving healthcare fraud: 575

Civil actions involving healthcare fraud: 342

This is just another example of why you need a compliance plan in your office and you need an annual compliance review by an outside third party.