7,100% Spike in 6 Years Exposes a Staggering Scheme Targeting Taxpayers
The Trump administration revealed new figures that show a drastic 7,100% spike in Medicare claims for skin substitutes in just six years as the task force led by Vice President JD Vance continues to crack down on fraud across the country.
The staggering increase in claims occurred between 2019 and 2025, surging from $200 million to $14.4 billion, prompting the anti-fraud task force and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify potentially fraudulent claims and deny 96% of claims made since March.
The CMS, which is led by Administrator Mehmet Oz, identified 4,200 suspicious claims for skin substitutes, known as allografts, totaling $224 million in charges through May of this year.
“That’s a lot of money,” Oz said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday. “And that bankrupts not just hospital systems and physician groups, but it causes major problems across the entire landscape.”
The agency also found alleged fraudulent claims for Durable Medical Equipment (DME), which includes wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other essential equipment. The agency says that payments have been suspended to 102 suppliers and revoked billing privileges for an additional 725 suppliers. (Read more from “7,100% Spike in 6 Years Exposes a Staggering Scheme Targeting Taxpayers” HERE)
