Medicare Fraud Conference

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; FBI Executive Assistant Director Shawn Henry; and Health and Human Services Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson joined Attorney General Eric Holder in announcing the "largest federal health care fraud" The Medicare Strike Force, currently operates in 7 U.S. cities and is being expanded to 2 additional cities. Through this operation, we have identified and shut down a variety of large-scale fraud offenses and have safeguarded precious taxpayer dollars.

Attorney General Eric Holder recognized and thanked the more than 700 law enforcement agents from the FBI, HHS-Office of Inspector General, multiple Medicaid Fraud Control Units, and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who participa According to the Attorney General: "As today's arrests prove, the federal government is working aggressively to pursue health care criminals around the country and to bring offenders to justice." He continued, Put simply, our Strike Force operations reflect an unprecedented commitment to eradicating health care fraud - a commitment that inspired the creation of the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team known as HEAT in May of 2009. Through HEAT, we've ensured that the fight against health care fraud is a Cabinet-level priority.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the podium addressing reporters. Behind the Secretary from left to right are Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; Attorney General Eric Holder; FBI Executive Assis According to court documents, the defendants charged today participated in schemes to submit claims to Medicare for treatments that were medically unnecessary and oftentimes, never provided. In many cases, indictments and complaints allege that patient recruiters, Medicare beneficiaries and other co-conspirators were paid cash kickbacks in return for supplying beneficiary information to providers, so that the providers could submit fraudulent billing to Medicare. Collectively, the individuals charged in the indictments and complaints are accused of conspiring to submit more than $225 million in fraudulent billing.

Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division tells of the collaboration by the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the FBI, plus other agency partners in Health & Human Services and the Office of the Inspector General. Assistant Attorney General Breuer reported: Todays nationwide takedown shows that if you engage in these fraudulent schemes, you will face the consequences. Our approach to combating health care fraud is strategic and comprehensive. We are confronting this national problem with a national response.