Bean Cracks Down on Medicare Fraud

WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) introduced H.R. 8871, the DME Scammer Prevention Act, to prevent widespread fraud in the durable medical equipment (DME) system and strengthen safeguards for Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.

DME is a critical component of Medicare, providing catheters, orthopedic braces, and other medically necessary devices to seniors and individuals with disabilities. However, the program has long been vulnerable to fraudulent billing schemes and improper claim submissions, costing taxpayers billions of dollars.

Upon introduction, Congressman Bean said, "Rising fraud and criminal activity threaten to undermine the Medicare system for Northeast Floridians and seniors across the country. We have an obligation to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used to care for our most vulnerable-not lining the pockets of fraudsters who exploit gaps in the system. This legislation strengthens accountability, improves oversight, and helps modernize the way claims are processed so legitimate patients get the care they need without delay or abuse of the system."

BACKGROUND

The DME Scammer Prevention Act would require the electronic submission of DME products most susceptible to fraud within 90 days of the initial claim date. The current submission deadline is 365 days, which allows fraudulent vendors to take advantage of the payment system and cheat the American taxpayer.

The bill would also direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of the technology used by Medicare Administrative Contractors to screen and process claims. This report will help identify gaps in current fraud detection tools and recommend improvements to better protect the Medicare system.

Full text of Congressman Bean's bill can be found HERE.

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