US Health Care Fraud: Over 400 Medical Professionals Arrested For Prescribing Dangerous Opiods And Narcotics
Touting it as the largest health care fraud enforcement action in it's history, the US Justice Department arrested more than 400 medical professionals yesterday, accusing them of perpetrating $1.3 billion worth of health care fraud.
Over 120 people including many doctors were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. The nationwide operation that involved more than 1,000 law enforcement agents operating in tandem in at-least 30 states.
The anti- fraud operation was spearheaded by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations which is a joint initiative between the US Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The Department of Justice in its press release stated this:
The charges announced today aggressively target schemes billing Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE (a health insurance program for members and veterans of the armed forces and their families) for medically unnecessary prescription drugs and compounded medications that often were never even purchased and/or distributed to beneficiaries. The charges also involve individuals contributing to the opioid epidemic, with a particular focus on medical professionals involved in the unlawful distribution of opioids and other prescription narcotics, a particular focus for the Department
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price added:
Healthcare fraud is not only a criminal act that costs billions of taxpayer dollars - it is an affront to all Americans who rely on our national healthcare programs for access to critical healthcare services and a violation of trust. The United States is home to the world’s best medical professionals, but their ability to provide affordable, high-quality care to their patients is jeopardized every time a criminal commits healthcare fraud.
“Last year, an estimated 59,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, many linked to the misuse of prescription drugs. This is, quite simply, an epidemic,” said Acting Administrator Rosenberg. “There is a great responsibility that goes along with handling controlled prescription drugs, and DEA and its partners remain absolutely committed to fighting the opioid epidemic using all the tools at our disposal.”
Also read: How America became addicted to opioids and why it’s dangerous.