Briefs

Investigators: Medicaid recovery amount doubles targeted goal for 2008

By CATHLEEN F. CROWLEY, December 13, 2008

ALBANY -- State investigators recovered $551 million from Medicaid fraud in 2008, double the goal set for the state.

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Sheehan attributed the success to the state's financial support for investigations. His staff rose from about 400 to 575 from 2007 to 2008. His budget rose by $4.8 million to just over $100 million.

Medicaid inspectors tried different data-mining techniques to combine state databases. In one project, they identified inmates -- who get free medical care in prison -- whose Medicaid HMO providers were still receiving monthly payments to manage their care.

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