[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 8 (Monday, March 1, 1999)]
[Page 300]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Launching the ``Who Pays? You Pay'' Initiative

February 24, 1999

    I am pleased to join the Department of Health and Human Services, 
the Department of Justice, and the AARP in launching the new ``Who Pays? 
You Pay'' campaign, a new initiative to combat fraud and abuse in the 
Medicare program.
    This new campaign is another step towards ending the fraudulent 
practices that rob taxpayers and threaten the future of the Medicare 
Trust Fund. Today we are partnering with beneficiaries to teach them how 
to detect Medicare fraud. We have worked with, and we will continue to 
work with, those in the provider community who are equally committed to 
eliminating health care fraud.
    We have a long-standing commitment to crack down on fraud, waste, 
and abuse, and I am proud to say that since 1993, the administration's 
efforts have saved taxpayers more than $38 billion, with health care 
fraud convictions increasing by more than 240 percent. The partnership 
between providers, the law enforcement community, and beneficiaries 
created by this initiative is a critical step towards ending waste, 
fraud, and abuse in the Medicare program. Physicians, nurses, hospitals, 
and nursing homes know that it is in everyone's best interest to weed 
out the bad-apple providers who threaten our ability to provide high-
quality and affordable health care for older Americans.
    I congratulate Secretary Shalala, Attorney General Reno, and the 
AARP for their commitment to preserve the Medicare program and ensure 
the provision of high-quality, affordable health care to our senior 
citizens.