William Pryor: “I rise to support S. 245, the Health Care Fraud Prevention Act of 1995. Health care fraud and abuse in our health care…”

“I rise to support S. 245, the Health Care Fraud Prevention Act of 1995. Health care fraud and abuse in our health care system is draining billions of dollars a year from American families, businesses, and government. The Department of Justice and other experts have estimated that as much as 10 percent of our national health care bill is lost to fraud and abuse. Every dollar stolen from the health care system--be it from Medicare, Medicaid, or a private health care plan--means one less dollar for patient care or for lower insurance premiums. With health care costs still escalating, the last thing we need to be doing is allowing criminals to steal from the system. Fraud also tarnishes the good names of honest health care professionals and companies. While the vast majority of providers are honest and hard working, the crooks cast a cloud over the entire health care system. Mr. President, there are too many examples of fraud in our health care system. For example, seven New York physicians were recently excluded from the New York Medicaid program for their part in a scheme that stole over $8 million from the program.”