Recent reports by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concluded that Medicare made tens of millions of dollars a year in improper payments to providers on behalf of prisoners (as discussed here) and on behalf of illegal immigrants. According to the latest similar report released by the OIG, roughly $359 million in Medicare Part B payments to chiropractors in 2013 were paid for medically unnecessary services.
The OIG extrapolated from a sample in which 82% of the chiropractic claims were determined not to have been supported by the documentation provided. The $359 million estimate was based upon 82% of the total of $438 million in claim submissions in 2013.
The OIG did not allege widespread wrongdoing; rather, it blamed ineffective education of chiropractors on Medicare requirements. In addition to improved education, the report recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determine appropriate numbers of chiropractic visits and duration of treatment, and develop systems to disallow services in excess of the limits.
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