Home / Crime and Justice / Dead patient's rides cost millions in Medicaid fraud
Dead patient's rides cost millions in Medicaid fraud
5 Oct
Summary
- Colorado resident billed $3.3 million for transporting dead patient.
- Hospice fraud suspected with 500 agencies in a 3-mile radius.
- Russian organized crime linked to $3 billion urinary catheter scam.
A recent report from the House Energy and Commerce Committee has detailed extensive vulnerabilities within Medicare and Medicaid, leading to significant exploitation on multiple levels.
One egregious case involves a Colorado resident accused of billing the state's Medicaid program approximately $3.3 million for non-emergency medical transportation. Disturbingly, about $165,000 of these charges were for rides provided after the patient had already passed away.
In Los Angeles County, an exceptionally high density of hospice providers, with nearly 500 operating within a three-mile radius, has raised suspicions of fraudulent activity. Concerns have also been flagged regarding potential healthcare fraud linked to foreign criminal groups, particularly in the home health and hospice sectors.
Furthermore, allegations suggest that international criminal organizations, including Russian organized crime groups, have targeted billions in taxpayer dollars through schemes involving fake bills for medical supplies like urinary catheters. Similar fraud involving medical equipment has also been identified in countries such as Estonia, Pakistan, Georgia, and Hong Kong.
