It is estimated that Medicare fraud will defraud Americans and insurance companies of approximately $100 billion in 2023 alone. Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Florida) has introduced a new bill to combat this rampant fraud. People other than doctors frequently bill health insurance companies millions of dollars.
As Congressman Bean explained in a press release, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issues a 10-digit National Provider Identifier (NPI) code to health care providers. But the system is dangerously lax and lacks validation, allowing non-medical providers to obtain NPI numbers and make false insurance claims.
As a result, the Florida Legislature’s Medical License Verification Act would strengthen the issuance of NPI numbers by requiring CMS to more thoroughly verify that medical licenses are valid and in good standing. It will be.
“Millions of Floridians rely on Medicare and Medicaid, and rising fraud and abuse threatens to undermine these programs and drive up health care costs. This is a small, common sense step to protect Florida families and prevent bad actors from defrauding Florida families.” Congressman Bean’s remarks in a press release.
The Physician Licensing Verification Act is Bean’s second bill in recent months to combat health care and insurance fraud, with the “Prompt Reporting and Oversight to Provide Medicare Transparency” (PROMPT) bill in late August. ) law was introduced.
The PROMPT Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to account for each new item or service provided within 30 days and has the potential to significantly reduce fraudulent Medicare spending. . This legislation offers hope for a more transparent and accountable system and could be a game-changer in the fight against Medicare fraud.
“An increase in fraud and criminal activity threatens to undermine Northeast Florida’s Medicare system. We need taxpayer dollars to protect the most vulnerable, not line the pockets of fraudsters.” “By increasing reporting, we can make great strides toward addressing this growing problem and protecting the American public.” said earlier.
