SAS and EHFCN collaborate to promote awareness on healthcare fraud

SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, will collaborate with the European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network (EHFCN) to spread information about detecting and preventing health care fraud. The collaboration will expose Belgium-based EHFCN to a broader European audience and identify SAS and the SAS® Fraud Framework for Health Care as a "privileged technical resource" for health care providers and insurers.

“We need to prevent the corrupt minority from engaging in fraud and abuse, and we need to mobilize the vast majority of honest people. SAS' leadership in the global health care industry and its unparalleled technology framework will help EHFCN further that cause throughout Europe.”

"According to a report issued earlier this year by McIntyre Hudson and EHFCN, health care organizations - regardless of specialty - lose 5.59 percent of the money spent on health care to fraud and error. That's unacceptable. Europe cannot afford to lose more money to health care fraud and corruption," said Paul Vincke, President of EHFCN. "We need to prevent the corrupt minority from engaging in fraud and abuse, and we need to mobilize the vast majority of honest people. SAS' leadership in the global health care industry and its unparalleled technology framework will help EHFCN further that cause throughout Europe."

EHFCN helps its members deter, prevent, detect, investigate and address health care fraud and corruption. The organization's goal is to return money to health care services for the benefit of every patient. EHFCN provides high-quality information, tools, training and assistance, and it promotes best practices and common working standards. EHFCN also works to increase public awareness and collaboration with national, European and international bodies including the European Commission, the World Health Organization, the United States' National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, the Canadian Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, Qhubeka Forensic Services from South Africa, and the World Bank. EHFCN counts 23 public and private health care and counter-fraud organization members in 10 countries.

"Health care fraud is a worldwide issue, and awareness is rising among the general public and inside organized crime rings," said Julie Malida, Principal for Health Care Fraud, SAS. "The dollars lost to fraud and corruption in health care are 100 times more than those in the credit card industry, yet the investment in fighting health care fraud is far less. Sophisticated fraudsters and criminal rings realize this and have moved fully into health care fraud across country borders now."