News From Around the Web
> Medtronic, Inc. agreed to pay $9.9 million to resolve a whistleblower lawsuit alleging the company paid doctors to implant pacemakers and defibrillators it manufactured and sold, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Announcement
> Authorities foiled an international scheme to extort money from Americans. Impersonating law enforcement agents, perpetrators allegedly told victims they were being investigated for buying prescription drugs illegally and the only way to avoid arrest would be to pay a fine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Announcement
> The Office of Inspector General released its 2014 semi-annual report to Congress summarizing the office's Medicare and Medicaid anti-fraud activities between Oct. 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014. Report (.pdf)
> The federal government is prosecuting an 81-year-old San Antonio physician for alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud, KENS5-TV reported. Article
Health Insurance News
> Medicare incorrectly dished out $6.7 billion too much for claims for evaluation and management (E/M) services in 2010, which represents 21 percent of the $32.3 billion spent on E/M services that year, according to a new report released last week from the Office of Inspector General. Article
> Recent studies of the hepatitis C drug Sovaldi are of poor quality and don't answer pertinent questions about the drug's safety, according to a new report. Article
And Finally... Australian woman allegedly used online dating services to con elderly men out of their life savings. Article