[Verified Answer]: In June 2018, HHS and OIG along with state…

In June 2018, HHS and OIG along with state and federal law enforcement charged more than 600 individuals with participating in false billings of Medicare and Medicaid totaling about $2 billion in Medicare and Medicaid losses. This is the largest ever healthcare fraud law enforcement action. Of the 600 defendants, 165 were medical professionals including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. Many of the defendants were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. Other defendants participated in submitting false claims for treatments that were not medically necessary and often never provided. Some patient recruiters, beneficiaries, and others received kickbacks in return for supplying beneficiary information to providers for the purpose of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare. It is particularly disconcerting to note that almost every healthcare fraud scheme requires a corrupt medical professional to be involved for the fraud to be successful. These medical professionals preyed on vulnerable patients who turned to them for care and treatment (DOJ 2018b). Describe your reaction to this massive arrest of 165 medical professionals. Identify other healthcare professionals could be charged with fraud and abuse. Describe what is meant by a service was not medically necessary.