Published: 2010-07-10 21:35:25
Author: Michael D. Shear | Washington Post | March 10, 2010
Today President Obama will embrace tougher new efforts to fight fraud in Medicare and Medicaid as part of his drive to pass comprehensive changes to the nation's health care system, the White House announced last night.
Officials said the president will sign a presidential memorandum today that directs all federal departments and agencies to expand their use of audits that recapture improper or erroneous payments. They said that could save the government as much as $2 billion over the next three years.
In a health-care speech in St. Louis, Obama will also offer his explicit support for bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding the use of so-called "recapture audits" in government agencies, officials said.
Together, the announcements are intended to show the president's seriousness on two fronts: the willingness to incorporate Republican ideas into his overall plans for health reform, and his desire to confront fraud and waste in government.
The announcement comes as part of an intensifying White House public relations campaign ahead of a legislative conclusion on the health care front, perhaps as early as next week.
Republicans in Congress are likely to embrace the idea of greater action to root out fraud but will reject the idea that such efforts should be tied to Obama's health-care plans.
In remarks prepared for later today, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) plans to urge Obama to drop the health-care bill and focus on passing smaller bills like the anti-fraud effort.