In 2006, 547 defendants were convicted for healthcare fraud-related crimes. U.S. attorneys’ offices opened 836 new criminal healthcare fraud investigations in 2006, involving 1,445 potential defendants. The DOJ initiated 915 new civil health care fraud investigations in 2006.
Perhaps the notable accomplishment of HCFAC’s efforts in 2006 was Tenet Healthcare Corporation’s agreeing to pay more than $900 million over a four-year period to settle whistleblower lawsuits accusing Tenet of overbilling Medicare and other federal healthcare programs.
Of the $900 million, "more than $788 million to resolve claims arising from Tenet’s receipt of excessive ‘outlier’ payments (payments intended to be limited to situations involving extraordinarily costly episodes of care) resulting from the hospitals’ inflating their charges substantially in excess of any increase in the costs associated with patient care, and billing for services and supplies not provided to patients," according to the report.
Read the complete report here.
