$4.1 Billion in Healthcare Payments Fraud, Feds Say

The federal government recovered $4.1 billion in improper and fraudulent payments from government-run health care programs in the 2011 fiscal year, a new report shows.

According to The Oncology Report, the total funding recovered in 2011 is a single-year record. Since the creation of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Program (HCFAC) in 1997, more than $20.6 billion in funding has been returned to the Medicare Trust Funds.

The $4.1 billion figure includes the official transfer of some funds won by the government in previous years. In 2011 alone, federal officials won or negotiated the return of $2.4 billion in health care funding.

The government’s full report detailing its funding recovery efforts in 2011 is available online.