Rep. Kelly: Medicare fraud hurts taxpayers

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, during a Ways & Means Committee hearing, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) supported efforts by the Trump administration to weed out Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse that are costing American taxpayers more than $60 billion per year.

The Medicare Trust Fund, which funds Medicare, is projected to out in 2033.

"The financial harm being done to taxpayers and patients through fraud is staggering," Rep. Kelly said. "We're $39 trillion in debt, and we're looking at a system that has so much fraud in it. This isn't a Republican problem or a Democrat problem. It's an American problem because the American taxpayer is footing the bill for this fraud."

Kelly called for greater oversight of the Medicare program and questioned what fraud-prevention methods Medicare Advantage plans to use that the government is not deploying in traditional Medicare.

You can watch his full question and answer exchange with hearing witnesses here.

Learn more about the hearing here.