Government gets tough on healthcare fraud, collects $4.2bn

A joint program by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services recovered $4.2bn (£6.4bn; €4.8bn) in healthcare fraud in the fiscal year of 2012, the most since the anti-fraud program began in 1997. The money was stolen or otherwise improperly obtained from Medicare and Medicaid.

The program has recovered $14.9bn over the past four years—more than double the $6.7bn collected in the previous four years. Since 1997, the program has recovered more than $23bn for Medicare Trust Funds.

Attorney General Eric Holder said, “This was a record breaking year for the departments . . . Our relentless pursuit of healthcare fraud …