Medicaid fraud costs South Florida taxpayers millions annually

[Judi Lynn]

Medicaid fraud costs South Florida taxpayers millions annually

The Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. --
Medicaid patients who fraudulently sell the drugs prescribed to them, often costly medications used to treat HIV or AIDS, cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year in South Florida, according to a grand jury report to be released Thursday.

In Miami-Dade County alone, patients reselling prescription drugs account for "tens of millions of dollars" in fraud, the Sun-Sentinel of South Florida reported for Thursday editions.

The study describes a cycle of fraud in which Medicaid patients fill prescriptions at pharmacies, then hawk their pills to "runners," who sell them back to pharmacy wholesalers, which then pass them back to pharmacies. Medicaid pays for the same drugs several times.

"This is extensive criminal activity," Attorney General Charlie Crist told the newspaper. "This report will provide us with a tremendous opportunity to get our arms around this very serious and pressing problem." (snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031217/APN/312171175

[pfitz59]

1. Limp-balls suppliers?

Medicaid ripoff drugs? He should go into business with the Frist family.

[NashVegas]

2. News Flash - It's Not Just Medicaid

I'm a Blue Cross/Blue Shield user. The last time I went to the doctor (allergies) he offered me a prescription for tension headaches - which I told him I don't get. Still he was more than happy to write me up for a dose of Butalbital, which I forgot to take out of the list when I went to the pharmacist.

Thanks to my co-payment, the bottle was filled with no extra charge to me, 40 dollars to my insurace company.

What % do you think this guy's getting for kickbacks?

[loudnclear]

3. And these are the people who received those huge tax cuts...

keep it all in proper perspective.