U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., scored a win this week as he continues his efforts to crack down on Medicare fraud.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is starting to distribute Medicare ID cards which identify seniors by Medicare Identification Numbers instead of Social Security numbers. Bilirakis proposed using just that when he introduced the Medicare Abuse Prevention (MAP) Act back in 2013, insisting that having Social Security numbers on cards would lead to more fraud.
While CMS is sending the redesigned cards to seniors just starting on Medicare, current Medicare enrollees should expect to receive their new cards in June.
Bilirakis weighed in on the matter on Tuesday to explain why he had been pushing for the new cards for the past five years.
“Ronald Reagan once said that you can accomplish great things if you don’t care who gets the credit,” Bilirakis said. “Today, we are seeing a great example of that. This idea came directly from constituents in our community, as the best ideas always do. I believe that this change will help protect seniors in my district and around the country from identity theft, which is why I never stopped fighting for the idea. I look forward to its full implementation later this summer, and to the day when seniors can feel a little more secure in handing over their id cards without worrying about being victimized.”
Bilirakis has been focused on Medicare fraud in recent months. Back in July, Bilirakis and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., both of whom represent the Tampa Bay area, brought out the “Medicare Civil and Criminal Penalties Update Act.” The bill raises civil and criminal fines on people convicted of Medicare fraud. The House passed the bill in February.
Over the summer, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that more than 400 people across the country, including more than 80 in Florida, were being charged with Medicare fraud which amounted to around $1.3 billion in losses. Some of these charges resulted from the Justice Department’s continued efforts against Medicare fraud.
“We will use every tool we have to stop criminals from exploiting the vulnerable people and stealing our hard-earned tax dollars,” U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told the media about the Justice Department’s efforts, in July. “We are sending a clear message to criminals across this country: We will find you. We will bring you to justice. And you will pay a very high price for what you have done.”
