Trump Pardons Medicare Fraudsters, Vows to Cut Program Abuse
TL/DR –
Former President Donald Trump has recently stated his intention to reduce spending on Social Security and Medicare by addressing waste and fraud. However, during his presidency, Trump commuted the sentences of at least five individuals who were convicted for fraudulent claims amounting to nearly $1.6 billion through Medicare or Medicaid. Critics argue that this historical record undermines his current claims and note the substantial effort expended by law enforcement to prosecute these complex cases.
Trump’s Track Record on Healthcare Fraud Cases Under Scrutiny
Former US President Donald Trump recently made a pledge to reduce spending on Social Security and Medicare by targeting waste and fraud in these programs. Despite this, a review of Trump’s presidency shows that he granted clemency to several individuals convicted in major Medicare fraud cases.
Fraudulent Claims Totaling $1.6 Billion
Trump commuted the sentences of at least five people in his last year in office. These individuals had collectively filed around $1.6 billion in fraudulent claims via Medicare or Medicaid.
Notable Cases
Among those who benefited from Trump’s clemency orders was Judith Negron, a former owner of a mental health company in Miami. Negron was sentenced in 2011 for her role in filing $205 million in fraudulent Medicare claims. Trump also granted clemency to Daniela Gozes-Wagner, a Houston woman who helped falsely bill more than $28 million in claims to Medicare and Medicaid for unnecessary medical tests. In December 2020, Trump commuted the sentence of Philip Esformes, convicted for his role in a healthcare fraud scheme involving over $1.3 billion in fraudulent claims.
Impact on Medicare Fraud Cases
Louis Saccoccio, CEO of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, said that these clemency orders were disappointing. The cases were not minor ones and probably required significant time and resources to investigate. Saccoccio noted that in addition to financial consequences, many Medicare fraud cases result in patient harm.
Trump’s Policy on Entitlement Programs
Trump has consistently stated that he will protect popular programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Despite this, his recent comments on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” suggested possible cuts to entitlement programs. This led to criticism from the Biden campaign, who accused Trump of planning to cut “waste and fraud”.
Trump’s Response
In response, Trump clarified that he would not do anything to harm Social Security or Medicare. He suggested that there were numerous areas where waste and spending could be cut without impacting these programs.
—
Read More US News