[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNITION OF PARTNERSHIP TO FIGHT INSURANCE FRAUD ONLINE

                                 ______


                         HON. GERALD D. KLECZKA

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 25, 1996

  Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Blue Cross & Blue 
Shield United of Wisconsin which has formed a unique partnership with 
State and Federal law enforcement agencies to help combat fraud in the 
insurance industry. The organizations are listing helpful information 
about health care fraud on Blue Cross & Blue Shield's World Wide Web 
site on the Internet. The site, HealthNet Connection, contains 
Wisconsin's first online library of free information about the State's 
health care system.
  The company has now announced that it will join with the U.S. 
Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the State 
attorney general to use their Internet site to make even more 
information available to the public. This access can assist in ensuring 
that health care dollars are spent wisely by raising awareness, 
educating consumers, and giving them tools to help prevent insurance 
fraud.
  Each of the participants will make available their own organization's 
efforts as well as a system for reporting suspected fraud. The U.S. 
attorney's office section will describe Federal laws and penalties, 
issue consumer alerts, and help for reporting suspicious incidents. The 
attorney general's office will outline State laws and penalties as well 
as how to relate potential violations. In addition, Blue Cross & Blue 
Shield already dispenses information to help health care providers, 
employers, government decisionmakers, researchers, and consumers make 
informed decisions about medical care.
  This high-technology assistance for Wisconsin's health care consumers 
is an extraordinary service from the State's largest health insurer. 
Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin is to be commended for 
utilizing the information superhighway to form such a creative and 
useful partnership with law enforcement insurance fraud fighters.

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