WHO: Department of Health and Human Services
WHAT: Medicare (run by HHS) pays suppliers too much money for some devices; for example, paying $1,000 for a wheelchair and reimbursing a middleman $4,000. In another instance in 2007, Medicare paid medical device suppliers $17,000 to provide patients with a wound-care pump that cost them about $3,600. This kind of gross overspending even led to enabling a Southern California street gang to bilk the government of at least $11 million before it was caught.
WHY IT’S AN OUTRAGE: Medicare already costs taxpayers $10 billion a year. Now they’re subsidizing gangs?!
WHERE TO VENT: Call the inspector general at 202-619-1343.
