Medicare fraud attracts South Florida drug traffickers

Here’s the lead from today’s Morning Edition story on Medicare fraud:

There’s a nationwide crime epidemic going on that rakes in $35 billion or more each year. Exactly how much is being stolen is impossible to say, because the federal government doesn’t try to measure it.

It’s Medicare fraud. The $368 billion federal program is a tempting target for crooks, and there are signs the problem is growing. It is particularly acute in South Florida, where it seems to be replacing drug trafficking as the crime of choice for those who want to get rich quick.

We all know about Medicare fraud, and the fact that enforcement is woefully underfunded. But that $35 billion figure in the lead caught my eye . . . just what el presidente vetoed on the SCHIP front last week. Hmm.

— David Harlow