Medicare: Improvements Needed to Address Improper Payments in Home Health

February 2009 Medicare spending on home health totaled $12.9 billion in 2006, up 44% from 2002. Concerns have been raised that improper payments from practices indicating fraud and abuse may have contributed to Medicare home health spending and utilization. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine the growth in Medicare home health spending and utilization and the benefits vulnerability to improper payments. GAO focused on states with the highest growth in Medicare home health spending or utilization; fraudulent and abusive practices contributing to recent spending and utilization; and administrative issues that make it vulnerable to improper payments . . .