The Media\u27S Perspectives Of Health Care Fraud And Abuse--An Objective Assessment.

The media make it seem that greedy health care professionals are perpetrating a widespread conspiracy to defraud the Medicare trust fund of billions of taxpayer dollars. However, the media often underreport another side to the health care fraud and abuse issue-the flawed, inordinately complex, and ill-equipped Medicare payment system itself. It is difficult to quantify the purported loss of billions of dollars to fraud or estimate the costs to the U.S. health care system of the advocated increased controls. However, this discussion serves to divert attention from key health care issues--the many Americans who are uninsured, underinsured, or lack access to care and the system\u27s administrative complexities