ANCOR Offers Comments at Invitation-Only HHS/DOJ Summit on Fraud and Abuse

ANCOR participated Thursday in an all-day Summit on Fraud sponsored by HHS Secretary Sebelius and Attorney General Holder that brought together federal agencies, state officials, and some private providers and health care insurers. Both Sebelus and Holder emphasized that this administration has a top priority placed on the detection, prevention and enforcement of Medicare, Medicaid, and health care fraud, waste and abuse. Secretary Sebelius announced that President Obama's proposed budget to be released on February 1st makes an historic federal investment--$1.7 billion or 80% increase--in efforts to address fraud, waste and abuse.

Top federal officials stressed that this first ever fraud summit would not be the last. The summit included comments from the HHS Inspector General (IG) and included CMS Medicaid and Medicare, Administration on Aging, HHS IG, and other federal officials along with federal and state law enforcement officials. One theme of the summit was to bring public and private stakeholders together to discuss solutions to address detection and prevention of fraud and abuse.

ANCOR was one of a few private providers along with private health insurers in attendance. ANCOR had the opportunity to comment in an afternoon breakout session on the duplication of multiple audits and reviews, and urged coordination of federal and state efforts. ANCOR also reminded officials--as they spoke about limited federal, state, and local resources--that providers are also facing an environment of severe cuts, the costs of multiple audits and reviews, and resources diverted from providing supports and services. In addition to better coordinating efforts and refocusing on suspicious trends in provider claims, ANCOR urged federal and state officials to better share information and engage providers in solutions.