More money fuels agency’s health fraud fight

The smoke is still clearing from the budget brawl on Capitol Hill. But regardless of whether President Clinton or the GOP-controlled Congress won, HHS still will come out ahead. HHS will spend $698 million in FY 1999 on fraud and abuse, up $78 million from last fiscal year, says HHS spokesman Campbell Gardett. This includes a $60 million jump in HCFA’s Medicare Integrity functions, to a record $560 million. Plus the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control fund, which helps pay for OIG, has jumped to $138 million from $120 million last year.