Medicare payouts for improper claims drop by a third

doi:10.1136/bmj.318.7182.486f

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James Ciment

New York

A report issued on 9 February by the inspector general at the US Department of Health and Human Services found a 38% drop in the amount paid out by the government in improper Medicare claims between 1997 and 1998.

According to the report, the department dispensed $12.6bn (£7.87bn) in mistaken or fraudulent claims last year (about seven cents for every dollar). The figures for 1997 and 1996 were $20.3bn and $23.2bn respectively.

The biggest drop, the report noted, …