AARP Praises Federal Crack Down on Health Care Fraud

May 20, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond released the following statement on today’s announcement on the creation of the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team by the departments of Health and Human Services and Justice.

“The skyrocketing costs of health care are hurting Americans’ wallets and the bedrock programs like Medicare that millions of Americans depend on. Too much of that spending is lost to health care fraud. We simply cannot afford to pay for care that is never delivered and equipment that is not needed.

Article continues below...

“AARP applauds Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder for their new effort to crack down on health care fraud throughout Medicare and Medicaid. The Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team will help stop the fraud and prosecute the criminals that are costing consumers and our public health programs billions of dollars each year.”

As a part of its Health Action Now campaign, AARP is fighting to strengthen and improve Medicare for the millions of Americans who depend on it. That effort includes cutting the billions of dollars lost annually to Medicare fraud, waste and abuse.

For details on AARP’s health reform priorities, visit http://www.aarp.org/governmentwatch.

Source: AARP