Medicare Fraud Risks

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional investigators are saying it's
too easy for scam artists to cheat Medicare out of millions of
dollars.
The Government Accountability Office says it set up two sham
medical supply companies, with no clients or medical patients, to
test the government's ability to catch thieves trying to bilk the
system. The investigators say the fake businesses won the
government's approval, even though they deliberately provided
sketchy information and false documents.
Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman says the report is proof there
are exploitable gaps in the system.
The agency says it's updating its standards, and will start
requiring suppliers to keep supporting paperwork from doctors. The
GAO says the new standards will only be successful if officials
work with "due diligence" when conducting screenings and
inspections.