On 11 April 2019, the American justice dismantled a huge scam the victim of which is the public insurer Medicare.
Totalling an amount of 1 billion USD of losses, the operation consisted in bribing doctors to prescribe orthopedic splints for elderly or disabled people, without any particular need.
The fraud also involved call centers located in the Philippines and South America.
The prescriptions were billed to the insurance company with commissions paid to the crooks.
According to preliminary figures, an undue amount of 1.7 billion USD has been claimed from Medicare, which has already paid a total of 900 million USD.
The FBI, in charge of the case, has arrested doctors, as well as managers of telemarketing companies and call centers. Sanctions have also been imposed on 130 suppliers of orthopedic equipment by the American justice.
Medicare provides health insurance to the elderly, poor, disabled, children and former military. The company has 120 million insured persons.
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