Agents conduct medical fraud raids across Houston
Teams of federal investigators spread out across Houston early Wednesday arresting dozens of health care operators and providers charged with making $16 million in fraudulent Medicare claims. … Immigrant influx cited Investigators say one reason Medicare fraud is on the rise in Houston is a steady influx of immigrants who, in some instances, consider gaming the government for benefits an acceptable practice, said one top Justice Department investigator, speaking on the condition he would not be identified. “There’s a real problem of health care fraud in recent immigrant communities – we see it every day,” the official said. “One of the reasons is you’re looking at people who don’t come up through the educational system, they’re impoverished, they think this country is very rich, and they don’t view taking advantage of a government program as a crime.”