News From Around the Web:
> More than 36,000 chiropractors collected almost $500 million from Medicare in 2012, with 6 percent of the doctors raking in more than 10 percent of these dollars, USA Today reported. Since 1999, the Office of Inspector General stopped 152 chiropractors or chiropractic offices from receiving federal healthcare funds due to fraud-related felony convictions and ousted 395 more chiropractic providers after surrender, revocation or suspension of medical licenses. Article
> The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released Medicaid anti-fraud training materials for payers, providers and beneficiaries on the agency's new Medicaid Integrity website, Patientsville reported. The no-cost offerings include videos, fact sheets and checklists. Article
> The Office of Inspector General continues finding problems with Medicare billing by Boston-area hospitals: An audit last month concluded Massachusetts General Hospital overbilled Medicare by $1.18 million from 2009 to 2102, The Boston Herald reported. And OIG audits found similar overpayments to six nearby hospitals in the last three years. Article
Healthcare News
> Medicare records released last month show the agency paid at least eight doctors with suspended or revoked medical licenses collectively more than $7 million a year, including doctors disciplined for gross malpractice, battery and violating prescription drug laws, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Article
> Hospitals often turn a blind eye to bad behavior by physicians, especially if the doctors generate a lot of revenue, according to Syracuse.com. Article
And Finally... British "agoraphobic" uses benefit dollars to bankroll world travel. Blog post