Health Care Fraud

A new report shows just how much the government has to do to fight health-care fraud. TheGovernment Accountability Office said the government investigated more than 10,000 providers in the Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs in 2010. That reflected a rise in cases against pharmacies and home health agencies in particular. Nearly half of the criminal cases targeted medical facilities and equipment suppliers. But the Health and Human Services inspector general asked the Justice Department to pursue charges just one-sixth of the time. GAO has sent the report to Senate Democrats. Auditors have kept Medicare and Medicaid on its high-risk list because, it said, their size and complexity make them vulnerable to fraud.