WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With health care fraud becoming more organized, sophisticated, and prevalent, over 1,000 investigators from private health insurance Special Investigative Units (SIUs), state and federal agencies, and law enforcement agents, will gather at the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA)'s Annual Training Conference, December 4-7, 2007, in Anaheim, California, to learn more about new fraud schemes and explore innovative solutions that help protect the American public from the human and economic costs associated with health care fraud, the association announced today.
NHCAA is a unique private-public partnership committed to fighting health care fraud. NHCAA members comprise more than 100 private health insurers and those public-sector law enforcement and regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over health care fraud committed against both private payers and public programs.
"NHCAA's Annual Training Conference is the one national forum where the nation's fraud investigators, law enforcement professionals, and health-insurance industry representatives all gather to learn about new fraud schemes and explore innovative public-private solutions that help protect consumers," said Lou Saccoccio, Executive Director, National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association. "This unique conference setting affords an unrivaled opportunity for conference participants to hear from the nation's leading authorities and to be ahead of the curve in combating new and emerging fraud efforts."
NCHAA's Annual Training Conference convenes at a critical time. With the spotlight on how best to rein in rising health care costs and ensure affordability, NHCAA conservatively estimates that health-care fraud costs our nation's health system a staggering $60 billion per year. Consumers, private purchasers, and public programs all bear the costs of health care fraud through diminished quality of care, reduced productivity, and higher deductibles and premiums.
The conference Keynote Address will be provided by Kirk Ogrosky, Deputy Chief for Health Care Fraud, Fraud Section, Criminal Division, US Department of Justice (DoJ). In this capacity, Mr. Ogrosky coordinates DoJ criminal matters with all US Attorney's Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the US Department of Health & Human Services/Office of Inspector General. Since March 2007, Mr. Ogrosky has directed the department's new Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Mr. Ogrosky has presented over 35 cases to the Grand Jury in the past nine months; taken numerous pleas; tried two cases to jury verdict, and led a team of prosecutors at Main Justice and in the USAOs to indict over 60 new Medicare fraud cases.
NHCAA's Annual Training Conference is the most comprehensive anti-fraud training conference available to health care fraud investigators and law enforcement professionals. With 50 concurrent workshops and 4 pre-conference programs, this conference provides attendees with unparalleled educational programming and "one-stop" shopping with anti-fraud solutions.
In addition to Mr. Ogrosky, the Annual Training Conference will provide attendees with insights into a wide range of areas affected by health care fraud, including Medicare fraud; pharmacy and prescription drugs; provider fraud in the areas of high-cost injectibles, diagnostic procedures, cosmetic surgery, and dental; and many other areas. The conference's six tracks are:
-- Clinical Issues for the Health Care Fraud Investigator;
-- Fraud Detection & Investigation in Specialty Areas;
-- Investigator's Toolbox;
-- Legal, Regulatory & Management;
-- Life, Disability, Long-term Care & Workers' Compensation; and
-- Anti-Fraud Technology & Services
Credentialed news media are provided with a complimentary conference registration. Please contact Erin Carlson, Senior Director, Education & Training at [email protected]. Due to the sensitive nature of the conference, all media registrations must be conducted in advance. There is no press registration available on site at the conference.
Additional information about the conference can be found at www.nhcaa.org/atc.
Founded in 1985 by several private health insurers and federal and state government officials, the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association is the leading national organization focused exclusively on the fight against health care fraud. We are a private-public partnership -- our members comprise more than 100 private health insurers and those public-sector law enforcement and regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over health care fraud committed against both private payers and public programs. Established in 2000, The NHCAA Institute for Health Care Fraud Prevention (http://www.nhcaa.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=education_and_training&wpscode=AboutTheNHCAAInstitute ) is a separately incorporated, tax-exempt educational foundation that provides education and training to private- and public-sector health care anti-fraud personnel.
SOURCE The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association
