Most-Wanted: Health Fraud Fugitives

February 3, 2011

Here's what we're checking out at Reporting on Health today:

Fraud: The federal Office of the Inspector General has released its "Most Wanted Fugitives" list for health fraud, FierceHealthcare's Dan Bowman reports. Among the alleged criminals: The Miami-based Benitez brothers accused of submitting $110 million worth of fraudulent HIV treatment claims to Medicare.

Genomic Medicine: We're not sure how the band is going to feel about it, but researchers have discovered a rare new vascular disease called ACDC and the genetic cause for it, Gina Kolata reports for the New York Times.

Health Workforce: New women doctors are being paid an average of $17,000 less than their male counterparts, according to a new Health Affairs study examined by Rachel Emma Silverman of The Wall St. Journal. What's really surprising: this is happening even though women increasingly are entering higher-paid specialties.

HIV/AIDS: Despite representing less than 14 percent of the U.S. population, black/African American people accounted for half the new HIV diagnoses between 2005 and 2008, according to a new CDC report urging more testing and education.