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Despite
a slew of new responsibilities under the Medicare Modernization
Act, the HHS Office of Inspector General says it is confident
that its enforcement duties will not be compromised.
According
to the OIG's 2004 semiannual report, the agency recouped
almost $30 billion through recommendations, investigative
efforts and audit recoveries.
More
than 3,000 entities and individuals were excluded from federal
health care programs. This number includes more than 500
convictions and 268 civil actions. The OIG sited significant
investigations from the durable medical equipment industry
- particularly power wheelchairs - and record recoveries
from pharmaceutical companies.
However,
in a message preceding the report, acting IG Daniel Levinson
concedes the future may be less-than-rosy for the cash-strapped
agency.
"With
funding from the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program
statutorily capped at the fiscal year 2003 spending level,
balancing the work this office traditionally has done with
new oversight responsibilities posed by the MMA presents
a unique challenge," Levinson said.
To read
the report, go
here.
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