Feds target healthcare fraud by looking for outliers

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Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the largest healthcare fraud takedown in its history. Approximately 300 defendants in 36 federal districts, including South Florida, were charged with engaging in fraudulent billings to the tune of more than $900 million. Charges included: conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, violations of the anti-kickback statutes, money laundering…

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States’ failure to implement NCCI edits cost Medicaid program billions annually

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Improper payments to healthcare providers cost the Medicaid program approximately $17.5 billion in fiscal year 2014, according to a new report from the HHS Office of the Inspector General. The reason: States’ failure to fully implement or properly use Medicaid National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits. The purpose of the NCCI edits is to prevent…

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OIG opinion: Free transportation doesn’t violate anti-kickback statute

A bus lane with the word " bus " written on it.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General recently issued an opinion stating that a large healthcare system’s free van shuttle service for patients does not violate the federal anti-kickback statute. The statute makes it a criminal offense to knowingly and willfully offer, pay, solicit, or receive any remuneration to induce…

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