Is it fair to say that fraud is rampant in Medicare parts A, B and also D? Looking at the dollars involved one might say so. Considering that fraud warnings have been ignored or slow to be responded to for decades, rampant fraud is a fair conclusion I would say. All this wasted money is the result of fraud by health care providers and frequently with the cooperation or complacency of patients who simply don’t ask questions or care about cost.
For years, the inspector general, an internal watchdog that evaluates HHS programs and investigates wrongdoing, has dinged Medicare for its failure to keep a close enough eye on doctors, pharmacies, beneficiaries and even its fraud contractors. That’s beginning to change, officials say.
“CMS has made progress on a number of recommendations we’ve made, as well as on the initiatives that they’ve had,” said Jodi Nudelman, regional inspector general for evaluation and inspections in the New York office. “They’re starting to use data to drive their strategies.”
At the same time, she said, “There are still concerns. More needs to be done. We can’t stop here.”
via Fraud Still Plagues Medicare Drug Program, Watchdog Finds – ProPublica.
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QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
As you have reminded us Dick in some past posts, Medicare touts its low administrative overhead cost. As you have pointed out, there are various reasons that make Medicare’s overhead cost is lower than that of private insurers. Weak policing of fraudulent claims is one way to “keep overhead low”.
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