An annual report from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CME) shows Wisconsin hospitals overbilled Medicare by $40 million in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available. That year, the state ranked 27th on a list of the worst states when it comes to Medicare waste.
According to a report from the Council for Medicare Integrity, which analyzes CME data, the rate of improper payments nationwide has risen from 8.6% to 12.7% since 2011, resulting in a loss to the Medicare Trust Fund of $46 billion in FY2014 alone.
Improper Medicare billing among Wisconsin’s health care providers increased $11 million over the previous year.
The CMS report found that nationwide, inpatient hospitals are responsible for 94% of the overbillings. In 2013, an OIG Medicare Compliance Review report found the University of Wisconsin overbilled Medicare by 53%, resulting in $316,172 in improper payments.
