It is sad that once a doctor who bills for unnecessary or more likely unperformed services is finally under suspicion THEN the authorities contact the patients and find out GOLLY GEE that no they did not have two surgeries a day for a week with the suspect doctor. Suppose in order to get paid, the doctor had to submit with his claim an simple written in high school English statement signed by the patient that “yes” these services were performed. I know. I know. More paperwork! But we are dealing with millions upon millions of dollars leaving the system for false claims.
Right now the patient gets on EOB (explanation of benefits). Even if you actually read the darn thing it is often impossible to “translate” what the abbreviations and medical jargon. If the patient on the way out of the office had to sign a simple statement attesting to the services he or she received a lot of this billing fraud would not occur.
Just a thought.