AMA to the Times-Tribune: Data in right hands

March 18, 2011(published)

The Times-Tribune
Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Your March 14 editorial ("Pass bills to fight fraud") unfairly singles out physicians, who are not a major source of Medicare fraud. The AMA and the vast majority of physicians have zero tolerance for fraud. Medicare fraud harms all involved in the Medicare system - including patients and their physicians.

The Department of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General already have access to Medicare claims data, and a broad array of other health care data, to support their investigations. We should all be heartened that these agencies are identifying and prosecuting record numbers of Medicare fraud perpetrators.

The fact is that those who need to have Medicare claims data - the federal investigators tasked with identifying Medicare fraud - already have access to it. These agencies are identifying a record number of perpetrators and working to protect patients, physicians and the entire Medicare system from fraud.

Cecil B. Wilson, MD
President, American Medical Association