Health care fraud: an unfortunate certainty

     From the President and CEO 

Death and taxes. Add health care to that short list of certainties. And while you're at it, tack on the word fraud to health care. 

In May 2012, U.S. authorities charged 107 people, including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for allegedly trying to defraud Medicare of about $452 million — the largest Medicare fraud sweep to date. The sad thing is that chances are that we'll probably soon be reading about an even more serious case. 

"Health care fraud shows no sign of abating," said Dr. Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA, founder and chairman of the ACFE, during his keynote message at the 23rd Annual ACFE Fraud Conference & Exhibition. "Don't expect a downturn anytime soon."

Because health care fraud affects everybody, and many ACFE members work in the industry, we've begun the new "Rx for Fraud" column and will occasionally include feature articles on the topic. 

In the cover article, "10 popular health care provider fraud schemes," author Charles E. Piper, CFE, CRT, writes that the difference between the health care realm and many other industries is its huge, alluring, easy pile of cash. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), national health expenditures in the U.S. reached $2.6 trillion in 2010 — 17.9 percent of GDP.