Healthcare Fraud: A Hidden Drain on the U.S. Economy
ST. LOUIS, MO (STL.News) – The American healthcare system is one of the largest and most advanced in the world, with annual expenditures exceeding $4.5 trillion. However, beneath its critical importance to society lies a persistent and costly threat: healthcare fraud. This largely invisible crime siphons off tens of billions of dollars every year, placing a massive burden on taxpayers, inflating insurance premiums, and reducing resources for genuine patient care. As the government and private sector work to combat this growing problem, healthcare fraud continues to erode the nation’s economic health quietly.
What Is Healthcare Fraud?
Healthcare fraud involves deliberately deceiving or misrepresenting facts to receive unauthorized benefits or payments. It can occur in virtually every area of the healthcare system, from billing and prescriptions to patient services and insurance claims.
Common types of healthcare fraud include:
- Billing for services not rendered —
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