The New York Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG), reports that in 2013, it recovered what seems to be the highest ever recovery amount regarding Medicaid fraud in the history of the agency. Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement early this February, reporting a sense of pride in New York and explaining the figures as an illustration of how New York State is “truly leading the nation in fighting fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars.” The exact figures calculated reached $1.7 billion over the past three years, and a record of $851 million in 2013 alone.
The Office of the Medicaid Inspector General works to eliminate fraud by responding to allegations, doing specialized reviews of home health claims and inventory reports, while targeting providers who inappropriately bill Medicaid for services and patients who are provided services they aren’t entitled to receive.
One of the many culprits the OMIG targeted was the Abbott House in Irvington, Westchester County. The office found information was missing from consumer records, so they could not confirm whether a consumer had responded to treatment or if the treatment had even been delivered at all. Similarly, the establishment was found to have billed consumers for more services than they received, which led to the recovery of more than $254,000.
Gov. Cuomo stated in his announcement, “eliminating this kind of waste is vital to transforming New York’s healthcare system, and this year’s tremendous amount of recoveries shows that we are well on our way to building a healthier and fairer New York.”
If you or a loved one have been accused of Medicare/Medicaid fraud, it is imperative that you speak to an experienced attorney. A skilled attorney will afford you the legal representation you deserve and ensure your legal rights are protected.
