Issue Position: Plan to Stop Medicare Fraud

Issue Position

Stopping Fraud Before It Happens

Everyone agrees that Medicare needs strengthening, and voters will have choice
this November about how to do that. Lois Frankel will never cut Medicare
benefits, and her plan ensures seniors don't pay the price of Medicare fraud by
rooting out over $350 billion in fraud over five years. She'll stop fraud before it
happens by using smarter technology, simplifying bills, and demanding better
cooperation.

Adam Hasner has plans for Medicare too -- ending guaranteed health care for
every senior, making seniors pay thousands more every year. Hasner's plan would
cut efforts to fight fraud and force seniors to pay the price. Lois's plan protects
Medicare, cuts fraud and abuse, and puts billions into strengthening Medicare.

Background

Fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare are side effects of the dramatic expansion of
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) over the past decade. The Department of
Health and Human Services estimates that in 2010 about $70 billion was lost to
fraud.

In the $2.6 trillion American health care system, between 3% and 10% of
expenditures are lost to fraud, with most experts at the high end of that range.
With better data will come a clearer picture of the scope of the problem, but it is
clear that the problem is bigger than the tools we currently have to fight it.
Existing efforts to crack down on the monumental problem of Medicare fraud are
starting to yield real results. The Affordable Care Act provides new tools for law
enforcement to address the rising problem Medicare fraud, substantial new
funding for law enforcement. Now, we must invest in new tools and technologies
that can stop fraud before it ever happens.

Source