Washington The federal government returned nearly $370 million to the Medicare Trust Fund in 1999 after winning almost $500 million in health care fraud cases, according to the newly released annual report on the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program.

In 1999, federal prosecutors handed down 371 criminal indictments in health care fraud cases, a 16 percent increase compared with the previous year, according to the report by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice. Some 396 defendants were convicted for fraud-related crimes. In addition, 2,278 civil matters were pending, and 91 civil cases were filed.

The government won more than $524 million in health care fraud judgments, settlements and administrative impositions, collecting $490 million and returning $369 million to Medicare.

Fraud prevention and compliance efforts continue to reap results. The most recent audit of the Medicare payment error rates showed a $10.6 billion decrease, or 45 percent, in improper fee-for-service payments in two years.