News Release - Attorney General McCollum Brings Health Care Fraud Education Initiative to Escambia County

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Attorney General Bill McCollum News Release

April 23, 2008

en Español

Print Version

Media Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150

Attorney General McCollum Brings Health Care Fraud Education Initiative to Escambia County

~ Seniors, health care professionals participate in fraud and abuse prevention seminars ~

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Continuing the rollout of his Health Care Fraud Education Initiative, Attorney General Bill McCollum today visited Baptist Hospital in Pensacola to share abuse and fraud identification strategies as well as prevention information with health care professionals. The presentations at hospitals, senior centers and other venues around the state were developed by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to foster a spirit of cooperation and raise awareness of how to report and avoid fraud and abuse.

“One of Florida’s most critical charges is protecting vulnerable citizens from abuse and neglect and making sure they receive the services for which the state is billed,” said Attorney General McCollum. “I applaud the members of our health care community who are joining with my office to make identification and prevention of health care fraud and abuse a high priority.”

National statistics show nearly half of Medicaid’s recipients are children and almost a third are elderly or disabled. Recent reports show as much as $2 billion a year may be lost in Florida’s $16 billion Medicaid program to fraud and abuse. Last year, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated 1,013 complaints and returned approximately $70 million in defrauded funds to the state. The Unit also reviews more than 13,000 complaints annually of patient abuse, neglect and exploitation (PANE), has opened 43 PANE cases, and has made nine PANE arrests since the beginning of this year.

“Baptist Health Care is pleased to host Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum to discuss health care fraud education initiatives,” said Dr. David DiLoreto, Chief Medical Officer of Baptist Health Care. “Heightening awareness of this important issue and developing effective solutions builds public trust that health care resources will be available to those most in need.”

“Medicaid guideline education is one of the keys to diminishing fraud whether it is intentional or unintentional,” said Dr. Kurt Jones, president of the Escambia County Medical Society, which assisted in organizing today’s event along with the Florida Medical Association. Following the seminar at Baptist Hospital, members of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented a similar program at the Council on Aging in Pensacola.

Persons wishing to report suspected health care fraud or patient abuse, neglect or exploitation can contact the Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline toll-free at 1-866-966-7226 or can file a complaint online at: http://myfloridalegal.com. More information about the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is also available on that site. A copy of the outreach brochure is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MRAY-7CGHVX/$file/FacesofHealthCareFraud.pdf.