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STATEMENT BY DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER

"The Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) audit confirms that the progress we have made in fighting health care fraud and abuse is being maintained. This should come as no surprise given our success in boosting our fraud enforcement efforts," said Holder citing statistics from a joint Justice Department-HHS report that noted significant increases in health care fraud convictions and settlements in Fiscal Year 1999. "Our partnership with Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and the HHS - OIG on anti-fraud efforts, including efforts to prevent fraud before it occurs, has encouraged countless health care providers to implement effective compliance programs. Most importantly, we need to redouble our efforts to ensure further progress in reducing fraud and abuse in federal health programs."

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