Senators urge HHS to step up efforts to curb Medicare overpayments

The lawmakers pointed to a report showing a $70 million loss caused by overpayments on medical equipment, The Hill reports.

The Hill: Senators Hit HHS More Than $70 Million In Medicare Overpayments
A bipartisan group of Senate Finance Committee members said Thursday that the federal Medicare agency isn't doing enough to prevent overpayments. The senators pointed to a new Health and Human Services Department report that says Medicare has lost $70 million due to overpayments to companies that supply durable medical equipment -; heavy-duty items like hospital beds and wheelchairs (Baker, 3/28).

Also, in congressional news, two well known Massachusetts politicians are vying for an open Senate seat, and their most recent debate hit on differences over health care.

CBS News: Mass. Senate Candidates Spar Over Health Care, Abortion
For over a decade, Massachusetts Democrats Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch have served together in the U.S. House of Representatives -- but that doesn't mean they agree on much of anything. Seeking the Democratic nomination for the special election to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry, the two congressmen squared off in a debate on Wednesday night, and sparks flew over just about everything, from the president's health care law to abortion (Miller, 3/28).