Health-Care Fraud Cases Filed by U.S. Rose 69% to Record, Researchers Say

U.S. health-care fraud prosecutions reached a high last fiscal year, rising 69 percent from the year earlier, according to a nonprofit research group’s analysis.

The U.S. reported 1,235 new health-care fraud prosecutions in the year ending Sept. 30, the largest number reported since separate tracking of the offense began 20 years ago, according to a report released today by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. There were 731 new cases the year before.

The Obama administration expanded the government’s pursuit of health-care fraud cases, including scams against Medicare, the program for the elderly and disabled.

Nearly one out of every nine health-care fraud prosecutions were in southern Florida. Last year’s numbers were boosted by prosecutors charging 548 defendants with health-care fraud in Puerto Rico.

The study is based on information obtained from the Justice Department under the Freedom of Information Act.

To contact the reporter on this story: Seth Stern in Washington at sstern14@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net

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