We'd like to think that the President of the United States is reading our blogs as we observe a federal crackdown on Medicare fraud picking up steam. Fraud has been bleeding the government's health care program for seniors dry for years, but investigating it was seldom a priority in the federal budget.

As suggested in a UCAN blog on October 1, 2008, written before Obama was elected:  " A new president looking for ways to fund a better health care system for Americans should take a hard look at increased policing of the Medicare systems for fraud..."  Apparently, he has. 

The Associated Press (AP) reports that in the past two months the newly empowered Medicare Fraud Strike Force has recovered $371 million in false Medicare claims and charged 145 people across the country.

Today, the AP reports the feds nabbed arrested 32 more scammers -- including doctors -- in New York, Louisiana, Boston and Houston.

Some of the scams include:

• Worthless arthritis kits billed to Medicare at $3,000-$4,000 each.
• Billing Medicare for liquid food for patients who never received it, and in some cases, for patients who were deceased.
• Billing Medicare multiple times for one wheelchair that was never delivered to the patient.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have added millions of dollars to fund staff to step up fraud investigations nationwide to curb the BILLIONS of dollars stolen from Medicare each year. Yes, folks, that's BILLIONS.

Is it any wonder that dire predictions are made about the future solvency of this system that funds health care for so many older Americans?

Thanks for listening, Mr. President, and keep those fraud busters in the field! 

HOW TO REPORT MEDICARE FRAUD