Coalition: Legislation Limits Programs that Fight Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Medicare
<0> ACHCIAmanda Keating, 202-441-5332 </0>
issued the following statement regarding the introduction of companion legislation in the Senate (S. 1012) that would undermine the efficacy of the highly-effective recovery audit contractors that work with the Medicare program:
“It’s discouraging to see Congressional leaders who are committed to fiscal responsibility taking up arms against programs that save the government money,” said coalition spokesperson Amanda Keating. “We have a situation here where Congress is beholden to big industry instead of the American taxpayers.”
“Recovery audit contractors work independently, and at no cost to hospitals or the industry, to protect Medicare and Medicaid by identifying improper billings, which last year accounted for more than $65 billion in improper payments. Recovery audit contractors have found instances where hospitals have:
“These instances are tantamount to the government buying $600 toilet seats. As taxpaying Americans, we should all be outraged at the abuse of the Medicare system – abuse that will be more difficult to weed out if legislation like this is enacted. We hope that as Congress considers this legislation, it will also consider the effects that hamstringing a highly effective auditing program will have on the long-term solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund.”
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