Health care fraud and abuse enforcement is always on our minds and our clients' minds, but yesterday HHS and DOJ gave health care providers even more to consider when evaluating their own fraud and abuse compliance efforts.
HHS and DOJ announced the highest annual recovery amount ever from health care providers as a result of the federal government's fraud and abuse enforcement efforts. According to the annual Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program ("HCFAC") report released yesterday, the government’s health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered a staggering $4 billion from health care providers in fiscal year 2010.
This year's $4 billion recovery amount is up 50% from 2009. To further put this $4 billion into context, the HCFAC has returned $18 billion total to the Medicare Trust Fund since its inception in 1997. This increased recovery is due, at least in part, to the recently employed enforcement teams such as the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team ("HEAT") and the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. In addition to these criminal enforcement recoveries, the government also obtained more than $2.5 billion in civil health care matters brought under the False Claims Act, which is the largest in the history of the DOJ.
HHS also announced yesterday new rules authorized by PPACA (or the Affordable Care Act) that will further intensify the government's efforts to fight fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid. Not only does PPACA provide an additional $350 million for HCFAC activities, but the rules include new provider screening and enfocement measures and gives the government the authority to suspend payments to providers when credible allegations of fraud are being investigated. These provisions--particularly the suspension of payment during investigations--are likely to have a significant impact on providers in the coming years. These regulations take effect March 25, 2011.
Although these recovery amounts seem high compared to previous years, health care providers should expect that recoveries may increase even further in coming years with the government's sharpened focus on health care fraud and abuse.
