Undocumented Immigrants draining social services?

How many times did you heard that Undocumented Immigrants are responsible for draining Hospitals and social services like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Benefits. My point is when someone as a Citizen has been caught and supposedly committed fraud against those Social services has being protected by the Media, and by law under Presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Since August 2006, more than 450 hospitals across the country were subject to fraud investigations and the Goverment has been recovered Millions.
Audits should be “particularly challenging from a provider perspective. The conditions for billing Medicare can be incredibly technical and a number of health care systems don’t always use the exact, correct language in their medical records and don’t have systems in place to ensure documentation is being done correctly” — which can lead to disallowed payments and payment recovery by the government against the provider.
Prosecuting health systems, hospitals and physicians for Medicare and Medicaid fraud was a priority during the Bush era, and should continue as a focus under the new administration.
With the Barack Obama administration taking office, Lucinda Jesson, director of Hamline University’s Health Law Institute, expects to see some shift in priorities from the Bush era. The Obama plan for more cost-effective health care is expected to include more emphasis on primary and preventive care but also should focus on effective regulations.

ANDERSON MAN CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING THE INDIANA MEDICAID PROGRAM OF OVER $900,000

Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that DENNIS LENNARTZ, 55, Anderson, Indiana, was charged with defrauding the Indiana Medicaid program, following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and The Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

The information alleges that beginning in April 2006, DENNIS LENNARTZ, knowingly defrauded the Indiana Medicaid program of $964,852.59, by billing for services not actually rendered. In furtherance of his scheme, LENNARTZ concealed his involvement from Indiana Medicaid by billing under the provider number of another company.

"This case demonstrates the commitment of the Office of Inspector General working with our Federal and State law enforcement partners to protect our Nation's vulnerable Medicaid recipients," said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge for the Chicago region of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General which covers the State of Indiana. "Defrauding the Medicaid program isn't fair to the taxpayers who deserve accountability," said Attorney General Steve Carter. "Even more tragically, though, it wastes money that would otherwise provide healthcare for those who can't afford to pay."

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley P. Shepard, who is prosecuting the case for the government, LENNARTZ faces a maximum possible prison sentence of 20 years and a maximum possible fine of $250,000. An initial hearing has been scheduled for January 20, 2009 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The information is an allegation only, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at trial or by guilty plea.

State Gets $67,000 in Medicaid Settlement

North Dakota Human Services officials say the state has received more than $67,000 as its share of a settlement with drug maker Cephalon, Inc.

Officials say the state`s share of $67,723 is part of a $425 million settlement involving the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units and the federal government. The company was accused of illegally arketing three of its drugs.

Federal prosecutors, in announcing the settlement last fall, said Cephalon also agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of distribution of misbranded drugs.

Officials say the settlement reimburses the federal government and states for amounts paid by the Medicaid program as a result of the company`s improper marketing campaign. The program covers medical services for the needy.

The settlement includes a $375 million civil settlement and $50 million in criminal fines and penalties.

Blessing of caregiving elderly love ones and their cost.

Repairing that broken heart is one of those chores in life that requires you to find your own way. You have to wander around and find your own path.
Michael Vargas.

The burden is compounded by ignorance, which found that most Americans have no idea how much long-term care costs and believe that Medicare pays for it, when it does not. Hispanic Families have always looked after their elderly loved ones. Instead, across the income spectrum, Hispanics are sacrificing to care for their parents to the limit of their means and sometimes beyond.
We should encourageing Young Hispanics and other ethnicities that Elderly love ones are from different cultural backgrounds and may have differing from their beliefs and values but the question is how can we learn their language and how we should speak to them? Well; Elderly Love ones can communicates depends on his or her culture. Thus we should expect that cultural differences should be reflected whether they are developing or typically have a disability. We should support, listen, observe, value, encourage, talk to, interact and expand as a way to develop and build their language skills. Longevity is not a problem, but a life stage for which we must be prepared physically and emotionally, thus achieving a productive old age, useful and active. Throughout history we can see that the role of the elderly within the family and society has changed. The modern world does not tolerate the revocation, is trying to combat the time and deny old age. Currently, the society we live insists on using the chronological age for many purposes social and labor, preferring to young people and relegating the elderly. The problem of "age" denotes a form of discrimination before the old man because of his age, which turns out to be so dangerous and unfounded as racism and sensismo. Lastima que ya no estas conmigo Mi Viejito, Mi Padre. Qpd.

Recenlty study released from UnitedHealth Group's Evercare organization and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) finds that more than one third of Hispanic households (36 percent) have at least one family member caring for an older loved one -a larger percentage than all U.S. caregiving households which is 21 percent (one in five), according to the Evercare Study of Hispanic Caregiving in the U.S. The study, the largest comprehensive look at Hispanic caregivers, also revealed that caregiving caused a major change to the working situation of Hispanics, which could have dramatic personal implications as the current fiscal crisis continues to unfold in the United States. Additionally, the emotional and physical tolls of caregiving might also impact the local and national economies, given that more than eight million Hispanics provide care to older loved ones nationwide.

The participants of the study indicated that additional resources and tools-in Spanish-are necessary to help them care for their loved ones. Seventy-three percent of Hispanic caregivers think it is very or somewhat important that caregiving information be provided in Spanish, with 56 percent who say it is very important. Eighty percent of Hispanic caregivers indicated training sessions that teach caregiving skills would be helpful, while more than seven in 10 would find online training in caregiving skills to be helpful.

Evercare, a leader in the fight against chronic illness, is dedicated to providing health care management and preventive care for the millions of Americans suffering with advanced or long-term illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Through Evercare health plans, family caregivers are part of the primary care team led by Evercare Nurse Practitioners and Care Managers who help coordinate care and guide members to improve their health outcomes, remain independent, and live at home as long as possible. In addition, more than 500,000 working caregivers have access to Evercare™ Solutions for Caregivers, a caregiver services and support program provided through employers nationwide or on a private-pay basis.

"Family caregivers are an essential part of our health care system yet very often they need additional training and support for the critical role they play," says Ana T. Fuentevilla, M.D., Medical Director for Evercare/ Ovations National Support Team. "Understanding the specific cultural needs and issues of caregivers in the Hispanic community is an important part of how we design our specific health plans and services for our members. Through programs such as Evercare Solutions for Caregivers, we can help these caregivers maintain their own health and stay on the job."

Caregiving has also caused a major change to the working situation of many Hispanics. The study found that more than four in 10 Hispanic caregivers (41 percent) have changed their work situation either by cutting back on hours, changing jobs, stopping work entirely, or taking a leave of absence. This is compared to 29 percent among non-Hispanic caregivers.

In fact, two-thirds of Hispanics were employed at some point while they were caregiving (66 percent), whereas only 52 percent are currently working, a decline of 14 percentage points. Although the notable proportion of Hispanic caregivers who made major employment-related changes while caregiving might lead one to believe that they would be less satisfied with the balance between caregiving and work, they are actually more highly satisfied than non-Hispanic caregivers. Nearly half of Hispanic caregivers (47 percent) report being very satisfied with their home/work balance, compared to 36 percent of non-Hispanic caregivers.

The Evercare/NAC Study revealed that Hispanics spend 17 percent more time on caregiving than non-Hispanics do - 37 hours a week compared to 31 hours a week for non-Hispanics. Hispanic caregivers also perform more strenuous activities for their loved ones than non-Hispanic caregivers. In fact, Hispanic caregivers perform 17 percent more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) including bathing, feeding, and other personal care tasks - than non-Hispanic caregivers.

However, while Hispanic caregivers provide more care, more than half reported little or no stress from caregiving. In fact, a significant number (35 percent) indicated that caregiving is not at all stressful - compared to 22 percent of non-Hispanic caregivers who reported the same. This is an important cultural finding given that more than four out of 10 Hispanic caregivers reported living with their loved one (compared to more than three out of 10 non-Hispanics who are co-residents) - a situation that in previous studies has typically increased caregiver stress levels.
See report:

Illegals responsible for Identity theft? a Myth or a lie?

Medical identity theft is a striking example of the kind of fraud we are going to talk . One new weapon in our arsenal is our Strike Force operations, which seek not only to protect American taxpayers from Medicare fraud, but protect the private and personal information of all patients. For instance, In recent raids many Undocumented Immigrants were offered a choice between pleading guilty to a lesser charge, resulting in five months in prison, followed by deportation without appearing before an immigration judge, or the possibility of a two-year mandatory sentence under the 2004 law. I had exposed many cases of Identity theft and Medical Fraud that I can't believe there are narrow minded people blaming and making undocumented Immigrants responsible for the actions of a few American Citizens. Unbelievable!!!!!!......

Under pressure from the toughest crackdown on Undocumented immigration in two decades, employers across the country are fighting back in state legislatures, the federal courts and city halls. Business groups have resisted measures that would revoke the licenses of employers of Undocumented immigrants. They are proposing alternatives that would revise federal rules for verifying the identity documents of new hires and would expand programs to bring legal immigrant laborers.

Federal prosecutors pursuing Undocumented immigrants have a favorite tool: a 2004 law that imposes a mandatory two-year prison sentence on some people who commit identity fraud. The Supreme Court agreed to decide just how blunt that instrument is.

The question in the case, one that has divided the federal appeals courts, is whether workers who use false Social Security and alien registration numbers must know that they belong to a real person to be subject to a two-year sentence extension for “aggravated identity theft.” Put another way: Is it identity theft to pick nine random numbers out of the air and submit them as a Social Security number if that number turns out to belong to a real person?

The 2004 law makes it a crime to use knowingly, “without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person” in connection with a variety of other offenses.

The Supreme Court summed up the problem this way: “It is not at all clear how far down the sentence the word ‘knowingly’ is intended to travel.”

Undocumented Immigrants draining Medicare and Medicaid?. A myth or a Lie?

At this point I have not seen an accurate report from a balance and fair group of the amount used by Undocumented Immigrants but I see more often the tip of Iceberg from Companies, Hospital, Vendors and suppliers committed fraud against Medicare and Medicaid affecting taxpayers Citizens, Legal and Undocumented Immigrants.

WellCare to pay $35.2M as part of Medicaid inquiry.

WellCare Health Plans Inc. said it will pay $35.2-million as part of an agreement with U.S. prosecutors in a Medicaid fraud investigation, the company said in a regulatory filing Monday.

The payment doesn't settle the case or limit the U.S. government and state of Florida from making further claims in their continuing investigation, WellCare said.

WellCare, whose top executives quit in January, said the agreement includes an estimated $24.5-million owed the government for Medicaid "behavioral health" claims from 2002 to 2006 by two of its Florida HMO subsidiaries: WellCare of Florida Inc. and HealthEase of Florida Inc. The additional $10.7-million will be held in escrow during the government probe.

"We do not know whether other areas of the investigations might lead to fines, penalties, operating restrictions or disqualifications or other material adverse impaction on the company or the company's previously issued financial statements,'' WellCare said in the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

WellCare manages benefits for more than 1.23-million members of state Medicaid programs for the poor and an additional 200,000 elderly and disabled customers who are part of the government's Medicare program.

In October, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal and state agencies raided the Tampa headquarters of WellCare

Why Nativists and protectionists poisoned the Immigration debate rather than a constructive solution to the problem?






For years Undocumented Immigrants has been accused that they are drained the Social Services like Medi care and Medi Caid but the big part of the equation that no one said anything is Health Care fraud.!!!!!!!!!! Why?.

I had been exposed several of Health care frauds ending up in Billions of dollars in taxpayers pocket expenses and scapegoating the Undocumented Immigrants.

The undocumented people are denied almost all benefits but, yet they are a huge contribution to the economy. The point is that Corporate America Is treating immigrants like slaves. Therefore segregation is not over.

So is not the right to live anywhere one wishes as long as one is peaceful human; right? Who is it to say those in power, those more bigoted or wealthy can tell another human where they are allowed to pursue happiness and peace. Deny welfare or medical benefits but work hard, paid taxes, get lower wages, then being persecuted, scapegoated, diminished and demonized.!!!!!!! Those are our Human Values?.

It's pretty clear that we need immigrants from a macroeconomic level, but we need a Humane comprehensive Immigration reform..


A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money," the late Senator Everett Dirksen is supposed to have said.*

And so it is today with health care fraud, a burgeoning crime plague that's adding up in a big way, big-ticket scheme after big-ticket scheme, essentially costing you money every time you walk into a hospital or doctor's office or fill a prescription, whether you know it or not. The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association estimates that this fraud collectively costs Americans between $60 billion and $100 billion a year. Ouchhhhhhhhhhh.

We're the primary investigative agency, with jurisdiction over federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid (both big targets) and private insurance programs, all the while working hand-in-hand with plenty of public and private sector partners.
Locally, our agents team up with their investigative counterparts on health care fraud working groups, task forces, and strike teams to tackle the biggest scams. Nationally, we have a Health Care Fraud unit at FBI Headquarters that helps support and coordinate field investigations and leads field-wide initiatives.

An anniversary, of sorts. It was 15 years ago, actually, that we ran our first major health care fraud investigation—"Operation Gold Pill." It involved about a thousand "professional patients" getting prescriptions for medicine they didn't need and having them filled at pharmacies that billed Medicare for much more than the cost.
The patients then sold the medication at a discount to dealers, who turned around and hawked it on the street or repackaged it and sold it back to the pharmacies—a full circle of crime.

Fifteen years ago this month, as the investigation came to a head, hundreds of FBI agents and other law enforcement professionals fanned out across the nation, making more than a 100 arrests and seizing more than $30 million in cash and assets.
By today's standards, that's pocket change. But soon, more resources came our way, and we were in the business of busting health care fraud full-time.

A million ways.... Today, the schemes are more complex, more time-consuming, and more costly than ever. "There's literally millions of ways to defraud health care," our Associate Deputy Director Joseph L. Ford told reporters this week. "They come up with new ways every day." Just a very few examples of what we see:

Hospitals, doctors, pharmacists, and other care providers submitting fake bills for services never rendered—or overcharge;

Service providers charging insurance for unnecessary and costly procedures;

Doctors selling prescriptions to patients for cash;

Companies billing insurance for expensive equipment but providing poor substitutes;
Crooked docs enticing patients to visit their offices for "free services" or gifts, then stealing their personal information and using it to file fake claims