Improper Medicare payments to prisoners and illegal immigrants topped $100 million

The Obama administration made more than $100 million in improper Medicare payments on behalf of prisoners and illegal immigrants between 2009 and 2011, according to the administration's top healthcare cop.

The Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services found that the department paid out more than $91.6 million for more than 2,500 illegal immigrants in the two year period. 

The administration also paid out nearly $33.6 million in Medicare payments for more than 11,600 imprisoned individuals. 

The inspector general's reports, released late last month, also say the administration does not have policies in place to regain the payments, but the Department of Health and Human Services says they plan to implement a process for recovering improper payments and overpayments after the transaction has occurred. 

Following the reports, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told the inspector general that processes would be installed in April, but that it wanted to weigh the costs and benefits of getting the payments back.

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