BlueCross BlueShield Association To Launch National Task Force To Address Fraud
The BlueCross BlueShield Association plans to launch a national task force to address an estimated $50 billion in health care fraud, BCBSA President Scott Serota announced on Monday in a speech to the Detroit Economic Club, the Detroit Free Press reports. The task force will coordinate investigations between the 41 BCBS plans nationwide and local and federal law enforcement agencies, such as FBI and HHS Office of Inspector General. Health care fraud includes cases in which providers bill insurers for services that they do not perform, bill insurers for more expensive services than those they perform and accept kickbacks and incentives to perform unnecessary tests and procedures (Norris, Detroit Free Press, 4/20). "It's a $50 billion expense that benefits no patients. And it's getting bigger," Serota said (AP/Dallas Morning News, 4/20). He added, "We must continue working together to assure that consumers' dollars go to quality health care and not criminals' bank accounts." According to Greg Anderson, vice president of corporate and financial investigations for BCBS of Michigan and a co-chair of the task force, "The playing field has shifted from local schemes with one plan or one region to national conspiracies with large groups participating" (Detroit Free Press, 4/20).
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