It has been announced here today by the eminent HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt of the commencement of an initiative destined for the protection of Medicare beneficiaries from the various deceptive providers of the Home Health Agency or HHA operating at different stages of the society.   It has also been affirmed by Mr. Michael Leavitt in this respect, that already a decision has been taken to finish this drive as a part of a two-year project with its central focus on the prevention of untrustworthy suppliers from working in the prime areas of greater Los Angeles and Houston areas.

It was in the month of May that the HHS in conjunction with the Department of Justice made known of the founding of a multi-agency team comprised of proficient federal, state and local investigators who had been trained exclusively for the sake of fighting against the enhancing menace of Medicare fraud through the utilization of real-time assessment of Medicare billing. In this regard as has come to the knowledge, the much heard HHA project religiously pursues the announcement of a demonstration project directing towards a further high-risk industry, deceitful billing by providers of long-lasting medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies or DMEPOS specially prevalent in the areas of South Florida and Los Angeles.  Taking inspiration from this viable project the present HHA demonstration is being implemented in the greater Los Angeles and Houston areas, noted for the prevalence of home health care fraud in high intensity.   

Speaking on the occasion Secretary Leavitt said,   "HHS is working to protect the public from fraud by stopping it before it happens. Our joint effort with the Department of Justice shows that we have zero tolerance for those who would prey on the system. This demonstration project works to bar unlawful Home Health Agencies from entering the Medicare billing system."

For the benefit of the readers it is to be mentioned, that throughout the past year the dexterous officials of both the CMS and the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) had been able to detect and authenticate efficiently of a considerable number of problems concerning the HHAs   in the greater Los Angeles and Houston areas. The main reason, however, for including these two geographic areas under the need of immediate scrutiny is that in the recent times there has been an exponential augmentation in the HHA billings to Medicare up to 60 percent in some counties and of 150 percent in the figure of HHA providers.

Leslie Norwalk, the Acting Administrator of the CMS while commenting on their own endeavor said, "We are focusing our demonstration projects initially in the areas of highest fraud incidence. Enhancing our review of these providers will go a long way to eliminate those who do not meet the needs of beneficiaries and the promises of the program."