Law enforcement — the ‘only’ solution?
FBI Director Robert Mueller testified before a Senate committee on Wednesday and said this:
“. . . with health care expenditures rising at three times the rate of inflation, it is equally clear that the stakes are rising and that only a concerted law enforcement response will succeed in addressing this problem.”
I take issue with his use of the word only. Fraud is far too complex to have but one solution. We will never arrest our way out this crime. Prevention and deterrence too often are overlooked in favor of arrest and conviction.
Law enforcement obviously is key in combating fraud, but so too are insurers, providers and patients. All have an important role.
Mueller’s comments remind me of the saying that “when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
You can read his entire statement on health care fraud here.
September 20th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
The efforts of law enforcement will certainly be welcome and important to have at the table. However, we cannot expect law enforcement to understand all the internal workings of insurance. Without the teamwork of law enforcement and those of us working internally in the insurance industry, no progress will be made. I would say to Mr. Mueller we need to work together to address the problem. His suggestion is off mark. Few in law enforcement would agree with him, especially within his own agency.