Stepped-up federal funding resulted in more seniors receiving training in how to stop Medicare fraud in 2012, but the latest annual survey of the $20 million program shows it produced $134,000 in actual savings.
Many illegal schemes rely on seniors who aren't savvy in how fraudsters and opportunists can use Medicare numbers to bill for care and equipment that is unneeded or never delivered. The Obama administration greatly increased the funding in 2010, 2011 and 2012 to bolster the so-called Senior Medicare Patrol program, which educates them with a branch in each U.S. state, plus Washington, D.C. and three territories.
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Healthcare fraud may be growing, but the number of fraud cops who work to stop it is shrinking.
The Center for Public Integrity reports that HHS' Office of the Inspector General, which generates an $8 return for every dollar invested in battling fraud, is shedding staff members by the hundreds because of recent budget cuts.
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