WSJ Highlights Need for Health Care Transparency
Today’s Wall Street Journal carried a special report on how Medicare claims data can be used to root out suspected waste, fraud and abuse (like the NYC family-medicine physician who was flagged for pocketing more than $2 million in 2008 from Medicare thanks in part to administering an odd battery of tests). Earlier this year, we testified in favor of creating...
Today’s Wall Street Journal carried a special report on how Medicare claims data can be used to root out suspected waste, fraud and abuse (like the NYC family-medicine physician who was flagged for pocketing more than $2 million in 2008 from Medicare thanks in part to administering an odd battery of tests).
Earlier this year, we testified in favor of creating a Medicaid claims database for Illinois. In short, promoting Medicaid spending transparency would:
- Offer government administrators a valuable tool to help drive cost savings and better health care outcomes;
- Allow taxpayers greater insight into how their dollars are spent by state government;
- Fulfill a recommendation of the Taxpayer Action Board; and
- Promote an open and transparent state government.
HB 5241 ultimately became law, but it only authorizes the Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to create an online transparency portal like South Carolina’s website — you can ask the Director to build on sunshine.illinois.gov and create one without delay. Director Julie Hamos can be reached at 217-782-1200 or 312-793-4792.