Federal authorities arrested 89 people, including doctors, nurses and other medical professionals on Tuesday in connection with Medicare fraud schemes which garnered $223 million in false billings and spread over eight cities in the United States, according to Reuters.
More than 400 members of law enforcement, including FBI agents, spread across the country to catch suspects in Miami, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and other cities.
Many of those arrested allegedly posed as doctors and created fake and excessive bills to trick the healthcare program. About one out of every four of the alleged scammers were some sort of medical professional including doctors, nurses and physical therapists.
"In many of these alleged schemes, the fraudulent billings could not have occurred without a doctor signing off on bogus services, or a nurse or therapist filling out false paperwork," said General Mythili Raman, acting U.S. assistant attorney general. "In all of the ... schemes, profit was the driving force."
This marks the sixth “national takedown” by the Medical Fraud Strike Force, which was formed in 2007. The strike force has arrested 1,500 alleged scammers in connection with $5 billion in false Medicare claims. The Obama Administration has battled against fraud and waste in the Medicare program.
According to U.S. officials the fight against Medicare fraud brings returns of about $8 to the Medicare trust fund and the U.S. Treasury for every dollar invested.
Attorney General Eric Holder said unless the U.S. stops the across-the government budget cuts, known as sequestration, it will be easier to get away with fraud.
"Unless Congress adopts a balanced deficit reduction plan and stops the reductions currently slated for 2014, I fear our capacity to protect the American people from healthcare fraud, to safeguard vital programs and precious resources and to hold criminals accountable will be further reduced," he said. "Allowing these cuts would be both unwise and unacceptable."
Miami was a popular location for the alleged scammers as 25 of the suspects were there arrested in connection with scams totaling $44 million. One of the suspects even purchased two Lamborghinis, a Ferrari and a Bentley.
Authorities are not sure which suspects will face jail time if convicted. However, some of the previously convicted scammers are serving long sentences.
“There are Medicare fraudsters in prisons across the country, some who will be there for decades, who can attest to our determination and effectiveness," said Raman.
