Investigative Case Highlights

Everybody loves free stuff, right? But what if it’s medical supplies you didn’t ask for and don’t actually need? And what if a company keeps sending you stuff after you ask it to stop? Oh — one little detail: it’s not free and you’re left footing part of the bill. That’s what fueled a health care fraud investigation back in 2015. It started when two insurance carriers filed complaints with a federal watchdog, alleging a medical equipment company was inappropriately billing patients

Our Fall 2023 Semiannual Report to Congress outlines the Department of Labor’s (DOL) workers’ compensation program and the unique challenges it presents to the Postal Service. Those challenges compound when healthcare providers exploit the program, just like the following case that happened in Houston, Texas.

When you’re hurt on the job, you trust that your doctor has your best interest at heart. You trust the medication they prescribe for you is what you need to feel better. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes medical professionals allow their integrity to be compromised for financial gain at the risk of what’s best for their patients. More than 420 injured postal employees were impacted by a kickback scheme costing the Postal Service $14 million in medication payments.

A recently closed provider fraud case was so extensive that it nearly stretches the imagination — not just in terms of scope but also in complexity. This case dates to December 2015, when USPS OIG investigators initiated a review of an unusually high level of Postal Service-related claims for compounded medications — that is, two or more ingredients mixed to create a medication tailored to patients’ needs. The claims had been filed with the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Workers’ Compensati