Prisons are supposed to pay for inmates’ medical care, but the OIG’s report uncovered CMS paid $33.6 million for 11,600 inmates in the two-year span. Medicare also paid for 2,600 unlawfully present beneficiaries in the same time period, amounting to $91.6 million.
CMS’ 2011 expenditures totaled $549 billion, eclipsing the millions in overpayments. OIG recommended the money be recouped and systems implemented in CMS databases should flag ineligible beneficiaries immediately before the payments are disbursed.
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