HHS recently released its fiscal year 2013 agency financial report, and it showed improper Medicare and Medicaid payments to healthcare providers totaled $64.3 billion.
A majority of the improper payments were due to overpayments, or providers overbilling government payers. Providers overbilled Medicare Part A and Part B $34.6 billion in FY 2013, which ended Sept. 30, and they overbilled Medicaid $13.9 billion.
Here are 12 statistics on improper Medicare and Medicaid payments during the government's 2013 fiscal year, based on the HHS report.
Medicare Part A and Part B
Total improper payments: $36 billion
Overpayments: $34.6 billion
Underpayments: $1.4 billion
Medicare Part C
Total improper payments: $11.8 billion
Overpayments: $9.3 billion
Underpayments: $2.5 billion
Medicare Part D
Total improper payments: $2.1 billion
Overpayments: $1.7 billion
Underpayments: $351 million
Medicaid
Total improper payments: $14.4 billion
Overpayments: $13.9 billion
Underpayments: $461 million
More Articles on Hospitals and Medicare/Medicaid Payments:
3 Key Medicare RAC Issues for Hospitals
St. Vincent's HealthCare Battles Audit of $3.3M in Medicare Overpayments
OIG Says HCA's JFK Medical Center Must Repay $4.4M to Medicare