In July, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that millions of Americans were potentially enrolled in multiple Medicaid or Affordable Care Act exchange health plans. Detecting and deterring such waste is essential, but HHS cannot be the only cop on the beat — especially when health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made “radical transparency” the cornerstone of his reform agenda.
Detecting and deterring waste, fraud, and abuse is often not prioritized at HHS, particularly when doing so undermines other priorities (like broadening access to coverage). That is why the government annually trumpets the imposition of record-breaking fines on fraudsters — only to have that “record” exceeded the following year.
To structurally reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, we need more eyes on the problem. HHS should make de-identified data on these publicly funded programs widely available, allowing researchers, analysts, journalists, and concerned citizens to identify problems and explore solutions. Harnessing the collective and dynamic efforts of interested parties will do a better job at identifying and deterring misconduct than any public agency, regardless of its size, staffing, or enthusiasm.
