Medical Equipment Firms and Fraud
Medical equipment companies in South Florida are under fire for failing to meet minimum operating standards dictated by the federal government, equivalent to Medicare fraud.
According to the Miami Herald, the FBI investigated over 1500 suppliers in three South Florida counties last year. The cost of fraud just in that area may exceed $1 billion for one year alone. The investigative arm of Medicare, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, is cracking down on fraudulent suppliers. Nationwide, estimates about the rate of improper Medicare payments are at seven percent, or about $30 billion.
Related stories:
April 2, 2007 Related topics: Ethics & Scandals, Supplies, Materials Management