Dingell Comments On Alleged False Billing Case

Statement

Congressman John D. Dingell made the following remarks after seeing news reports of a health care scam in which $50 million was allegedly taken from Medicare. 53 people have been indicted, accused of paying kickbacks to sham patients for fake Medicare claims, with arrests in Detroit, Miami and Denver.

"Obviously we need to let the justice system run its course and remember that our Constitution provides for the presumption of innocence, but the allegations in this case bring up a larger point: Rascality and fraud in our current health care system costs all Americans and it costs us dearly. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, in fiscal year 2009 the Department of Justice recovered nearly a billion dollars in health care fraud monies and recorded 300 convictions.

"The health reform discussion draft released by House Democrats includes funding increases for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Fund to fight Medicare and Medicaid fraud. The Congressional Budget Office reports that every $1 invested to fight fraud results in approximately $1.75 in savings. Whatever the verdict in this case, we know from other cases that there is rampant abuse in the system and it is another reason why our ‘American Solution' is so critical now as so many are suffering financial hardship because of the greed of others."

For more on what the discussion draft contains regarding fraud and abuse in health care, please go to: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090619/healthcarereform_fraud.pdf

Source