Medicare fraud is a open playground for criminals

By Michael Rivezzo


Investigators say criminals, prominently mafia members, are becoming attracted to Medicare fraud.Unlike the traditional con, the money is good and prison sentences normally run shorter than other traditional crimes like robbery and dealing drugs.

Criminals are scamming the Medicare system by typically billing Medicare for medical equipment and drugs that patients never receive and do not need. They also are involving some of the homeless in L.A; by paying homeless people for social security numbers and also using them to file fake reports for Medicare expenses.

Mafioso's across the country are committing dangerous acts to cover their tracks. Federal investigators are being threatened, in once case, a informant's body was found punctured with bullets. No one has been able to say how many violent crimes are tied to Medicare fraud because most of the crimes are usually carried out by someone within the hoax who attacks another person also taking part in the crime.



http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/medicare-fraud-attracts-organized-crime/2009-10-07

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1268509.html

http://drugstorenews.com/(S(owo00yr3egje3un1rnoesjrx))/story.aspx?id=118521&menuid=335



http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/medicare-fraud-attracts-organized-crime/2009-10-07#ixzz0ULnbYmX4