New York Senate Approves Bill To Increase Enforcement, Penalties For Medicaid Fraud
The New York state Senate on Wednesday voted 58-1 to approve a Medicaid anti-fraud bill that would create an independent Office of Medicaid Inspector General within the state Department of Health and increase civil and criminal penalties for people convicted of Medicaid fraud, the North Country Gazette reports. The bill is designed to address recommendations made to the state in a report by CMS that said the state "must do more to meet its program-integrity obligations." The Senate bill, which was sponsored by state Sen. Dean Skelos (R), would create the new Medicaid Inspector General's office by consolidating the duties and staff of six agencies into one office at the state health department. The bill would refer fraud cases to local social services districts if they are refused by the Medicaid Fraud Unit at the state attorney general's office. In addition, the bill would allow local governments to share in Medicaid fraud recoveries if they provide information on the cases. The bill also would require health care institutions to implement corporate compliance and internal control programs to combat fraud (North Country Gazette, 6/15). The bill is expected to save the state $2 billion annually, the Corning Leader reports. The state Assembly also has passed a Medicaid anti-fraud bill, and the two chambers will discuss the measures in a conference committee in the next week (Corning Leader, 6/15). According to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, the chambers are "far away" from reaching an agreement. One subject on which they disagree is whether the inspector general should have a fixed term or be appointed at the discretion of the governor, the Democrat & Chronicle reports (Gallagher, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, 6/15).
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