American Association for Homecare Supports Crackdown on Medicare Scammers in Houston, Boston, New York,...( Association's Ant...),Health

Association's Anti-Fraud Legislative Plan Will Yield Cost-Savings for Healthcare Reform and Stop Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Medicare

ARLINGTON, Va., July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association for Homecare strongly supports the recent Medicare Fraud Strike Force crackdown on Medicare fraud in Houston, Boston, New York and Louisiana. Medicare fraud takes vital resources away from seniors and patients. Reducing fraud and abuse in Medicare is an effective way to reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of care. The American Association for Homecare urges Congress to adopt its Anti-Fraud Legislative Plan, which includes tough measures to eliminate fraud and abuse before it starts.

"We have zero tolerance for illegal activity," said American Association for Homecare President Tyler J. Wilson. "Eliminating fraud and abuse will benefit patients and seniors by lowering costs and increasing quality of care. We urge Congress to adopt new regulations, like those outlined in our 13-point plan, and we support tough enforcement actions, like those carried out by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force."

This past May, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius launched a joint effort to "fight Medicare fraud and protect taxpayer dollars." Yesterday's crackdown in Houston was the third major sweep since the effort began.

Earlier this year, the American Association for Homecare urged members of Congress to adopt a Medicare Anti-Fraud Legislative Plan. This plan outlines tough, effective steps to stop waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare's home medical equipment (HME) sector early or before it starts. Among the provisions detailed in the legislative proposal are more rigorous quality standards, increased penalties for fraud, mandated site inspections for new providers, and real-time claim
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