Support for health care fraud bill urged

There is bipartisan agreement in the District of Columbia, thanks to the efforts of congressmen such as U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo.

LoBiondo has joined many Republicans and Democrats in Congress as co-sponsors of the Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act to address Medicare fraud and abuse. This is a great bill that would crack down on improper billing, which translates into tens of billions of dollars in improper payments every year for Medicare.

For decades, Medicare has operated under a system that pays providers first and investigates suspicious claims later. The bill would require that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services more closely track the overpayments and implement solutions to address them, such as closing loopholes, stopping patterns of double billing and other steps. There are also many other important reforms contained in the bill.

As an AARP member who depends on Medicare and pays taxes, I hope New Jersey’s entire congressional delegation will join LoBiondo as co-sponsors of the bill.

Marion Ingram
AARP Volunteer
Strathmere