WASHINGTON--The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice are joining forces for a demonstration project to eliminate fraudulent infusion therapy providers, officials announced late Friday.

The agencies will review prosecutions by a joint strike force and reveal details of the demonstration during a reporter conference call today with Herb Kuhn, CMS acting deputy administrator; R. Alexander Acosta, United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Kimberly Brandt, CMS director of program integrity.

"The demonstration project will have an immediate effect in South Florida," according to a media advisory.

In what it has called "the first step in a protracted effort to eliminate the potential for fraud," HHS and the DOJ formed a multi-agency Medicare Fraud Strike Force earlier this year to investigate fraudulent suppliers (see HomeCare Monday, May 14). During a three-month period, the effort yielded 56 arrests and "stopped companies who collectively billed more than $258 million to Medicare," HHS said.

The agency also has begun demonstration projects focused on preventing sham DME and home health companies from operating in South Florida, Southern California and the Houston area. And last month, CMS proposed a rule to help limit Medicare's risk by requiring all DMEPOS providers to supply a $65,000 surety bond (see HomeCare Monday, July 30).

Check future issues of HomeCare Monday for coverage of the infusion therapy fraud project.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2007 Penton Media, Inc.