[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3245 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3245

 To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to increase civil money 
penalties and criminal fines for Federal health care program fraud and 
                     abuse, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 14, 2017

 Mr. Bilirakis (for himself and Ms. Castor of Florida) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
  Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to increase civil money 
penalties and criminal fines for Federal health care program fraud and 
                     abuse, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Civil and Criminal 
Penalties Update Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASED CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES AND INCREASED SENTENCES 
              FOR FEDERAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM FRAUD AND ABUSE.

    (a) Increased Civil Money Penalties and Criminal Fines.--
            (1) Increased civil money penalties.--Section 1128A of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), in the matter following 
                paragraph (10)--
                            (i) by striking ``$10,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$20,000'' each place it appears;
                            (ii) by striking ``$15,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$30,000''; and
                            (iii) by striking ``$50,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$100,000'' each place it appears; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1), in the flush text 
                        following subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``$2,000'' and inserting ``$5,000'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking 
                        ``$2,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''; and
                            (iii) in paragraph (3)(A)(i), by striking 
                        ``$5,000'' and inserting ``$10,000''.
            (2) Increased criminal fines.--Section 1128B of such Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), in the matter following 
                paragraph (6)--
                            (i) by striking ``$25,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$100,000''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``$10,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$20,000'';
                    (B) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1), in the flush text 
                        following subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``$25,000'' and inserting ``$100,000''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (2), in the flush text 
                        following subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``$25,000'' and inserting ``$100,000'';
                    (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``$25,000'' and 
                inserting ``$100,000'';
                    (D) in subsection (d), in the flush text following 
                paragraph (2), by striking ``$25,000'' and inserting 
                ``$100,000''; and
                    (E) in subsection (e), by striking ``$2,000'' and 
                inserting ``$4,000''.
    (b) Increased Sentences for Felonies Involving Federal Health Care 
Program Fraud and Abuse.--
            (1) False statements and representations.--Section 1128B(a) 
        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(a)) is amended, 
        in the matter following paragraph (6), by striking ``not more 
        than five years or both, or (ii)'' and inserting ``not more 
        than 10 years or both, or (ii)''.
            (2) Antikickback.--Section 1128B(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1320a-7b(b)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), in the flush text following 
                subparagraph (B), by striking ``not more than five 
                years'' and inserting ``not more than 10 years''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), in the flush text following 
                subparagraph (B), by striking ``not more than five 
                years'' and inserting ``not more than 10 years''.
            (3) False statement or representation with respect to 
        conditions or operations of facilities.--Section 1128B(c) of 
        such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(c)) is amended by striking ``not 
        more than five years'' and inserting ``not more than 10 
        years''.
            (4) Excess charges.--Section 1128B(d) of such Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1320a-7b(d)) is amended, in the flush text following 
        paragraph (2), by striking ``not more than five years'' and 
        inserting ``not more than 10 years''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to acts committed after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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