HHS Fights Durable Medical Equipment Fraud
Demonstration Project Targets Fraudulent Business Practices
in South Florida and Southern California

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced a two-year effort designed to further protect Medicare beneficiaries from fraudulent suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics and orthotics supplies (DMEPOS). The initiative is focused on preventing deceptive companies from operating in South Florida and Southern California.

The new initiative will have immediate effect in two regions of the country where there is a high concentration of suppliers, South Florida and Southern California. Based on the results of the project, it could be expanded nationwide.

Miami and Los Angeles have been identified as high-risk areas when it comes to fraudulent billing by DMEPOS suppliers. HHS, working with the Department of Justice (DOJ), formed a Medicare Fraud Strike Force to combat fraud through the use of real-time analysis of Medicare billing data. In just three months, 56 individuals have been charged in the Southern District of Florida with fraudulently billing Medicare for more than $258 million. The strike force is made up of federal, state and local investigators.

For more information, you can view the HHS Press Release at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2007pres/07/pr20070702a.html
and the HHS Fact Sheet at http://www.hhs.gov/news/facts/medicarefraud/index.html

Last Updated: 07/14/2007