Source: Fox News
Summary
A new report by the House Energy and Commerce Committee found that Medicare and Medicaid face widespread fraud, costing taxpayers billions annually. A Colorado resident, Wesam Yassin, was charged with billing Medicaid for rides after a patient had died, allegedly stealing $3.3 million. Another individual, Ashley Marie Stevens, is accused of billing for non-existent rides. The report also highlighted suspicious hospice activity in California and fraud schemes involving foreign criminal groups. House Republicans expressed concerns about the scale of the issue and its impact on vulnerable populations.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
Wesam Yassin billed Medicaid for rides after a patient died.
He charged $4,000 per ride for one person.
He used the money for a house, cars, and surgery.
Some rides never happened, but the bills kept coming.
Author: Evan Null
Colorado Case
Wesam Yassin, a provider of non-emergency medical transportation, was charged with fraudulent billing in Colorado. He is accused of charging Medicaid $3.3 million, including $165,000 for rides after a patient had died. The report said the money was used for personal gains like a home and luxury items.
Other Fraud Cases
Ashley Marie Stevens is accused of billing the state for over $1 million, including $400,000 for non-medical rides and “ghost rides” that never occurred. The report also highlighted suspicious hospice activity in California, with nearly 500 hospices operating in a small area.
California Hospice Concerns
Investigators found 137 hospices on a single street in Van Nuys and 89 companies registered to one address. The report raised concerns about the high number of hospices in Los Angeles County, which had more than 31% of U.S. hospice agencies in 2022.
International Fraud Schemes
Russian organized crime groups bought 30 small medical supply companies and billed Medicare nearly $11 billion for urinary catheters. Most of the money never reached patients. Similar fraud schemes were found in Estonia, Pakistan, Georgia, and Hong Kong.
Minnesota Autism Therapy Fraud
Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf pleaded guilty to trying to defraud $6 million from a Minnesota autism therapy program. He and his co-defendants hired unqualified counselors and bribed parents to enroll children. Yussuf admitted he did not know anyone with autism.
