HHS' inspector general's office said it saved taxpayers nearly $30 billion in fiscal 2004, $7 billion more than in 2003, according to the office's semiannual report to Congress.
The $30 billion includes $27.3 billion from implementing various fraud-control recommendations, $1.9 billion in receivables from investigations, $754.2 million in receivables from audits and $8.3 million in recoveries.
The agency collected $874,000 in civil monetary penalties and $237,000 from 11 hospitals for violating the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act.
In fiscal 2004 the inspector general's office excluded 3,293 individuals and organizations from federal health insurance programs because of fraud. It also participated in the convictions of 533 individuals or organizations and engaged in 268 civil actions, including False Claims Act suits.
Among other discoveries, the agency's audit and evaluations teams found that Tennessee's Medicaid program paid $5 million for benefits to deceased beneficiaries.
