Feds bust up $26 million Medicare fraud rings; Stimulus to fund $400 million in telehealth links;

> Federal investigations have uncovered Medicare fraud schemes totaling $26 million. In one case, owners and employees of four medical suppliers based in California and Nevada allegedly billed Medicare for $12 million worth of medical equipment that was never provided or was ordered on behalf of patients who didn't need it or were deceased. FierceHealthcare

> The federal EMR subsidy program doesn't start until fiscal year 2011, but the American Telemedicine Association believes that there will be $400 million available from the economic stimulus legislation over the next six months to set up high-definition videoconferencing links between hospitals and remote, underserved facilities for the purpose of expanding telehealth services. FierceHealthIT

> With the crackdown on gifts to physicians, and the slowing of direct-to-consumer advertising, the pharmaceutical industry is turning to data mining of physician prescribing habits to fuel the marketing machine. And, as with so many other pharma marketing techniques, controversy is brewing. FierceHeathIT

And finally... Really? He couldn't have at least used a butter knife? Article