Brady, McDermott introduce bill to prevent Medicare fraud

House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and ranking member Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced a bill this week to prevent Medicare fraud.

H.R. 1021, the Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act (PIMA) of 2015, would prevent fraud by making a number of reforms, including  removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards and removing unnecessary paperwork for employers.

“By increasing education, transparency and communication between Medicare's payers and the providers that treat our seniors, in addition to commonsense proposals such as removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards, the members of this subcommittee are tackling these issues head on,” Brady said. “Our seniors deserve better, and I am proud to re-introduce this bill with my friend and colleague on the Ways and Means Committee, Dr. McDermott."

Other reforms the bill would create include: increasing education and outreach for providers by Medicare contractors and other program integrity efforts; requiring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary to issue a report describing how a permanent physician hospital gainsharing program can be established; providing existing beneficiaries the option to receive a Medicare summary notice electronically; and expanding who can document the face-to-face encounter required for Medicare durable medical equipment prescriptions to include nurse practitioners and physician assistants.