In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, a CMS administrator said the Obama administration has used Medicare’s electronic payment system to its advantage in its fight against fraud.
Peter Budetti, deputy administrator and director for CMS’ Center for Program Integrity, wrote the op-ed in response to an Aug. 21 editorial in the Los Angeles Times that said Medicare’s electronic payment system is a vulnerable payment mechanism that is easily taken advantage of by criminals.
Mr. Budetti disputed these claims, saying, “Years ago when banks and insurance companies started seeing a rise in fraud, they did not respond by shutting down their computers and reverting to cash-only transactions. Instead, they made their technology smarter.”
He says the new fraud-fighting technology launched in July allows investigators to see billing patterns in real time, identify potentially fraudulent claims before they’re paid, and take action quickly. Read more at Becker’s ASC Review.
Related Articles on Medicare Fraud:
10 Recent Allegations or Convictions of Medicare Fraud
CMS to Adopt Predictive Fraud-Fighting Technology July 1
GAO: CMS’ Systems to Identify Fraud Fall Short
At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.