Using Medicare data to curb Medicaid fraud

Projects are underway to make Medicare data more useful to states in an effort to keep fraudulent providers out of their respective Medicaid programs.

Stateline:  States Seek Medicare Data To Keep Fraudulent Providers Out Of Medicaid
The federal government says it has ambitious projects underway to make Medicare data more useful to states, and to help states share information about their respective Medicaid programs. The problem, federal officials say, is that Medicare, which provides health coverage for seniors, is organized very differently from Medicaid. And each state organizes its Medicaid program in a different way, making data matches difficult (Vestal, 6/21).

Also in the news, Cuba defends its banks against Medicare money-laundering accusations --

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Cuba Defends Its Banks After US Prosecutors Say Medicare Fraud Money Sent To Island Accounts
A Cuban official said Wednesday that the country has strict controls to avoid money laundering and works closely with banks to detect and deter fraudulent transactions, responding to allegations by U.S. prosecutors that millions of dollars defrauded from Medicare were routed to the island's financial system (6/20).