Today, Stacy Sanders, federal policy director of the Medicare Rights Center, testified in support of a proposed law that would increase the civil monetary penalties and criminal fines for certain types of Medicare fraud at a hearing held by the Subcommittee on Health of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The hearing focused on a number of bipartisan bills to improve Medicare, including the Medicare Civil and Criminal Penalties Update Act of 2017 (H.R. 3245).

“Medicare fraud is deeply problematic from two key perspectives—both beneficiary and taxpayer,” said Sanders. “For people with Medicare, fraud and abuse can lead to exploitation in the form of increased costs, including overcharging for services received or even paying for care that was never delivered. Fraud and abuse also lead to increased and inappropriate spending of taxpayer dollars.”

Medicare Rights’ support for H.R. 3245 is informed by the organization’s experience working with people with Medicare and their families for nearly 30 years. Medicare Rights answers almost 20,000 questions on its national helpline annually and provides educational tools and resources to nearly three million Americans seeking a trusted, unbiased Medicare source.

“Medicare fraud is not a victimless crime, making it critically important that Congress prioritize enhanced efforts to prevent and reduce fraud and abuse,” said Sanders.

Read Stacy Sanders’ testimony from the hearing.

Watch the testimony below:[x_video_embed no_container=”true” type=”16:9″][/x_video_embed]