NEWNow you can hearken to Fox Information articles!
Washington, D.C. – Medicare fraud is a multibillion-dollar downside that authorities officers say threatens each taxpayer {dollars} and Individuals’ private identities.
In a July 6 interview with Fox Information Digital on the Nice American State Honest in Washington, D.C., Dr. Mehmet Oz warned that each greenback stolen by means of Medicare fraud is a greenback taxpayers lose – an issue that has worsened for the reason that COVID pandemic.
“If I needed to simply decide one factor to deal with to make healthcare more affordable in America, I might go to well being fraud and all of the waste and abuse that accompanies it,” stated Oz, who’s the administrator of the Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Companies. “And simply to place this in perspective, we predict it is about $100 billion a 12 months.”
BIG MEDICARE CHANGE SLASHES WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG COSTS FOR ELIGIBLE SENIORS
Medicare fraud can embrace billing for providers that had been by no means offered, overcharging for medical tools, utilizing stolen affected person or physician info, or performing pointless procedures, in line with the U.S. Authorities Accountability Workplace.
CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Ozis pictured on stage on the Nice American State Honest in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 2026. (Angelica Stabile/Fox Information Digital)
Because the Trump administration ramped up efforts to fight fraud, CMS reported $41.9 billion in Medicare program integrity financial savings in 2025, up 59% from $26.3 billion in 2024.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Medicare fraud not solely harms the federal price range and steals from taxpayers, however exposes seniors to id theft, pointless care, increased premiums and decreased entry, Ozcautioned.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Eradicating corruption from the healthcare system could have the best impression amongst seniors, since “a lot of the fraud is perpetrated towards them,” the administrator stated.
“I am speaking about folks tricking seniors to surrender their Medicare beneficiary numbers, which is sort of a bank card principally,” he stated. “These scammers can take these numbers and use them for all types of illegitimate functions.”
“If I needed to simply decide one factor to deal with to make healthcare extra inexpensive in America, I might go to well being fraud and all of the waste and abuse that accompanies it,” stated Oz. (Fox Information Digital)
“Individuals are stealing from you by pretending to send you drugs you do not need, wheelchairs you do not want, [and] providers you by no means requested for or do not profit from,” Ozadded.
To forestall this, he shared his prime recommendation for seniors: Don’t give your Medicare beneficiary quantity to anyone, don’t reply questions on a cellphone name from an unknown particular person and don’t give away private info.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“These scammers are calling seniors, tricking them, and as soon as they’ve key info, they’ll steal it,” he stated. “And I will not realize it and you will not realize it.”
“We wish to defend individuals who want these applications probably the most,” Ozwent on. “You try this by ensuring scoundrels do not corrupt the methods and steal cash out of the until that’s designed to assist people in dire straits once they’re weak and in want of providers.”
Seniors ought to by no means share their Medicare info with unknown folks, the administrator suggested. (iStock)
Eradicating fraud may “double the life expectancy of the belief fund that makes all this attainable,” Ozpredicted.
“If you happen to’re fearful about Medicare being there if you’re able to retire in a pair many years, relying on how outdated you’re, and also you’re involved that it won’t final due to all of the fraud that is hitting it … you’ve got received an excellent [reason to] fear,” he stated.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“If we take the fraud out, we may double the life expectancy, which implies you, your children, your children’ children … they might all profit from this stunning security web program.”