56 billlon Euros lost to healthcare fraud and corruption
The European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network (EHFCN) launches its awareness campaign highlighting that more than 56 billion Euros is lost each year to healthcare fraud and corruption across European Union countries.
The extent of the problem
Every citizen has a right to basic healthcare, yet 80 million Europeans live at risk of poverty and face the danger of suffering from poor health and having reduced access to healthcare. The EHFCN awareness campaign wants to stress that the money lost to healthcare fraud and corruption could be used for purposes such as improving healthcare infrastructure, healthcare education, technology and other health services, for the benefit of every European citizen.
In fact 56 billion Euros would represent the funding necessary to pay for over 2.5 million more nurses across Europe every year; for over 3500 new healthcare clinics in Europe every year; or for over 1.7 million incubators in Europe every year. Conversely, every cent lost undermines healthcare systems' capacity to provide essential treatment and will ultimately lead to lower quality of care, and a reduced availability of services, treatments and care.
“Stamp out fraud for everyone's benefit”
With 5.59% lost to healthcare fraud alone, the EHFCN campaign aims to clearly state that fraud and corruption within healthcare is unacceptable and seeks to mobilise the honest majority of people involved in healthcare. Many players have responsibilities in healthcare: healthcare professionals and staff, providers, insurers, policy makers and patients, and unfortunately some weak links in the chain do not operate in an honest way.
The campaign's key message “Stamp out fraud for everyone's benefit”, aims to invite everyone to collaborate on eliminating fraud and corruption and to encourage policy makers to take measures at national and European level to counter healthcare fraud and corruption in order to provide every citizen with the basic access to healthcare they deserve.
“Europe and indeed the world cannot afford to lose more money to healthcare fraud and corruption”, said Paul Vincke, President of EHFCN. “We need to prevent the fraudulent and corrupt minority and we need to mobilise the vast majority of honest people. Despite differences in politics, economies and healthcare systems, we need to ensure that every citizen has access to effective healthcare, wherever they are and whatever their social or economic background”.
21.01.2010
