CMS Admin. Dr. Oz: We can double the life expectancy of Medicare trust fund if we fix the fraud
Summary
Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator, discusses a new industry-wide coalition of 29 healthcare companies to simplify prior authorization, and details aggressive anti-fraud efforts targeting hospice and personal care services. He claims fixing Medicare fraud could double the trust fund's life expectancy, highlighting organized crime involvement and political patronage concerns.
- Dr. Oz announces a coalition of 29 major healthcare companies to streamline prior authorization.
- He emphasizes moving from fax-based to digital data exchange between doctors and insurers.
- Dr. Oz claims fixing Medicare/Medicaid fraud could double the Medicare trust fund's life expectancy.
- He details fraud in Los Angeles hospices, with one-third of all U.S. hospices located in LA.
- Personal care services in New York City are flagged as potential jobs programs tied to political patronage.
- Payments have been suspended on 800 hospices in California due to suspected fraud.
- Dr. Oz links fraud to organized crime, including Russian and Chinese syndicates.
- He notes similar fraud issues in Ohio and Minnesota, with $350 million in payments deferred to Minnesota.
