[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 139 (Friday, September 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  INTRODUCING THE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PAYMENT INTEGRITY ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 1995
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to introduce, with my 
colleague, Mr. Waxman, the Medicare and Medicaid Payment Integrity Act 
of 1995.
  This legislation would improve the Government's ability to detect 
fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. It would create 
a new mechanism to increase funding available for combating health care 
fraud and abuse without drawing down from the U.S. Treasury, or further 
burdening taxpayers.
  The bill would establish a new health care antifraud reinvestment 
fund, into which certain monetary recoveries resulting from health care 
fraud enforcement cases would be deposited. These funds would be used 
to support additional enforcement activities by the Federal Government. 
The account would be available to fund expanded and innovative methods 
to investigate fraud and abuse, sanction offenders, deter misconduct, 
and return improperly spent money to the trust fund and the Treasury. 
Thus, the individuals and corporations who defraud our Nation's health 
care system will foot the bill for increased policing of these 
programs.
  This legislation also provides for a stable funding source for 
payment integrity activities undertaken by the health care financing 
administration. These include:
  First, medical and utilization review; second, audit of cost reports; 
third, Medicare secondary payer determinations and recovery of 
payments; and fourth, education of providers and beneficiaries 
regarding payment integrity. These activities would no longer be 
subject to the ups and downs of the appropriations process. However, 
spending could not exceed the amounts that were appropriated for fiscal 
year 1996 through 2002.
  This bill is a serious attempt to expand fraud and abuse activities 
without increasing burdens on Federal taxpayers. In the near future, 
Senator Bob Graham of Florida will be introducing this bill as part of 
a larger legislative package that includes further expansion of fraud 
and abuse activities. We have been talking with Senator Graham and his 
staff and may be offering an even broader bill in the House in the near 
future.
  In the meantime, this is a good first step and I commend it to my 
colleagues.


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