Senator Tester pushes new plan to save taxpayers billions

Senator joins bipartisan effort to combat waste, fraud and abuse while protecting Medicare and Medicaid

By cutting into waste, fraud and abuse, Senator Jon Tester is fighting to make Medicare and Medicaid work better for Montanans, while saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Tester recently joined a bipartisan group of Senators to support the PRIME Act, which will stiffen penalties for Medicare fraud and hold contractors more accountable for overpayments.

Tester’s PRIME Act will not affect Medicare or Medicaid benefits or change medical service pricing. Tester said the bipartisan measure, which is supported by the AARP and Taxpayers for Common Sense, will increase resources available to care for seniors, the disabled, and low-income families.

"Montanans who benefit from Medicare and Medicaid deserve the best care that this country can offer," Tester said. "And American taxpayers deserve to know that every hard-earned penny goes to those who need care, not criminals trying to beat the system. This bipartisan bill will go a long way toward ensuring that agencies have the tools necessary to keep our commitments to both folks in need and taxpayers."

Tester’s bill will also better engage seniors in the fight against waste and fraud, outlaw the fraudulent purchase, sale or use of Medicare beneficiary information, and improve the sharing of anti-fraud data between federal agencies.

Tester’s PRIME Act, which stands for the Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare Expenditures Act, is co-sponsored by 23 Democrats and Republicans, including Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn.

The PRIME Act is available online HERE. http://www.scribd.com/doc/160504573/Tester-s-PRIME-Act