President’s Budget to Focus on Fraud and Errors in Social Programs

President Barack Obama’s detailed budget is scheduled for release on Thursday, May 7, and Medicare and Medicaid fraud and errors are a focus. According to the Wall Street Journal article “Budget Target Fraud and Errors in Social Programs,” by Jonathan Weisman, the White House estimates every dollar spent by the department of Health and Human Services to combat health-care fraud yields about $1.60 in savings. The budget will include a request for a total of $1.7 billion over five years for Obama’s health-care fraud initiative.

The American Association for Homecare has proposed 13 specific recommendations to stop fraud and abuse in the homecare sector. The steps would eliminate most of the Medicare fraud attributed to the home medical equipment sector by attacking the problem at the front of the process rather than relying on the “pay-and-chase” approach to stopping fraud.

For the full article which includes other agencies and programs expected to be mentioned in the budget, visit: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124147959792585159.html

On May 6, the American Association for Homecare will submit a statement outlining the Association’s 13-point anti-fraud plan to the Senate Special Committee on Aging which will hold a hearing on Medicare waste, fraud, and abuse.