Report: Medicare Drug Program Vulnerable to Fraud

MIAMI – A new report shows crooks are taking advantage of
lax oversight in Medicare Part D’s prescription drug program.

The report says scam artists are using false identification
numbers to obtain highly addictive drugs including oxycodone,
Ritalin, and methadone.

The report released by federal health officials says Medicare
officials aren’t adequately confirming that prescriptions paid by
their health insurance contractors are actually written by doctors.
Medicare paid $20.6 million for 228,000 Schedule II drugs with
invalid prescriber IDs in 2007. Schedule II drugs include
heavy-duty painkillers and stimulants.

The agency says it will now require all contractors to use a
valid prescriber number.