Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announced today that his Medicaid Fraud Control unit has recovered over $400 million since 2007, following numerous investigations into the activities of various individuals, companies, and hospitals suspected of intentionally defrauding the state’s Medicaid program.
Attorney General McCollum has also recently obtained approval for a pilot program that will allow the state to prevent Medicaid fraud more proactively. Although federal law typically prohibits states from routinely mining data from Medicaid providers, the pilot program gives the state permission to actively review the billing practices of such entities, allowing for fraud to be more easily identified.
“Medicaid fraud is a heartless crime that drains away resources intended for our citizens who need medical assistance,” said Attorney General McCollum. “Every single dollar we recover benefits not only those citizens, but also the Florida taxpayers who have funded the Medicaid program.”