May 16,2005

Grassley: FBI Must Improve Accountability Over Anti-Health Fraud Dollars

M E M O R A N D U M

To: Reporters and Editors
Re: GAO report on health care fraud investigations funding
Da: Monday, May 16, 2005

Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on a Government Accountability Office report, “Federal Bureau of Investigation: Accountability over HIPAA Funding of Health Care Fraud Investigations Is Inadequate.” Grassley requested the report, released today.

“The FBI and the Justice Department have an obligation to taxpayers to make sure thatmoney directed to fighting health care fraud is, in fact, used to fight health care fraud. It violatesfederal law to reprogram the dollars specifically allocated by Congress for this purpose, and it’s inexcusable that the government cannot account for millions of dollars set aside to fight health care fraud. Health care fraud is a big challenge, and big money is at stake. Congress must remain vigilant to make sure combating health care fraud is a top priority for the agencies that receive public dollars to fight health care fraud.”

A link to the report follows.

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Accountability over HIPAA Funding of Health Care FraudInvestigations Is Inadequate. GAO-05-388, April 22. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-388