Regulation Could Reduce Medicaid Abuse, Waste and Fraud

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the guard dog for the U.S. Congress, verified that Medicaid and Medicare are programs having potential for a higher risk of abuse, waste and fraud. In the case of Medicaid, the GAO suggests substandard fiscal management might lead to improper expenses. A complex Medicare system could easily result in erroneous disbursements.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that supervises these programs, concluded that in 2010 that over $70 billion dollars was paid out improperly. Simply by administering past GAO proposals, recently passed legislation and existing agency courses of action, the CMS could accomplish five approaches presently detailed by the GAO as approaches to decrease inappropriate Medicaid and Medicare payments, and thus helping reduce fraud.

Sustain Five Areas to Fight Medicaid and Medicare Abuse