Background
Too much money is lost to healthcare fraud and corruption.
European Union countries spend more than 1 trillion Euros on providing healthcare for their citizens. It is currently estimated that 5.59% of national healthcare budgets (1) are lost to fraud. This means that 56 billion Euros are lost every year to healthcare fraud alone and more is probably lost to corruption. Across Europe this represents a loss of at least 150 million Euros per DAY.
The consequences can be devastating
Losses to healthcare fraud and corruption have a direct and obvious impact on the provision and quality of patient care. As resources are drained from health budgets through fraud, less funding is available to pay salaries and fund healthcare services, operations and maintenance. This ultimately leads to de-motivated healthcare staff and lower quality of care, and a reduced availability of services, treatments and care.
Everyone has a right to basic healthcare, yet every year money is being lost to fraud and corruption instead of providing each person with basic healthcare. A big amount of that money could be used for purposes such as improving healthcare infrastructure, healthcare education, technology and other health services.
Based on estimates of average salaries and costs, 56 billion Euros would represent the funding necessary to pay for example:
- for at least 2.5 million more nurses across Europe every year;
- for over 3500 new healthcare clinics in Europe every year;
- for over 1.7 million incubators in Europe every year.(2)
EHFCN wants to mobilise the honest majority of healthcare professionals, patients, providers and other people who work in healthcare to prevent the fraudulent or corrupt minority from diverting further funds. Unfortunately, that minority exists in all European countries, and every cent lost drains the lifeblood from our healthcare systems and undermines their capacity to provide essential treatment.
2010: the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
Almost 80 million Europeans live at risk of poverty, which means they face insecurity, and go without what most people often take for granted. Living in poverty may result in a variety of problems, from poor housing and even homelessness to poor health and reduced access to healthcare.
Fraud and corruption in healthcare causes daily losses which in turn jeopardise the delivery of appropriate healthcare and equal access to healthcare services for all. Needless to say those who suffer most are the poor and socially excluded.
EHFCN's campaign ties in with the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion and calls for its member organisations and all stakeholders to join in the fight against healthcare fraud and corruption in order to secure that every citizen has access to appropriate care.
It is high time to mobilise the honest majority and stamp out fraud for everyone's benefit.
(1) Gee J, Button M, Brooks G, The financial cost of healthcare fraud. 2010
(2) figures are drawn from calculations based on UK costs for equipment and services, as no European average figures are available at present.