Waste and neglect: fraud and abuse in the health care industry.

Fraud is not only illegal, but it also increases the cost of health care, reduces the quality of services, and, when the defrauded party is the government, raises taxes. Federal and state law enforcement agencies have tried (and failed) to combat the problem single-handedly, but without the assistance of health care industry members, law enforcement agencies will never find an effective solution. As health care professionals, nurse executives have a responsibility to their patients and their country to make every effort to rid their organizations of fraudulent behavior.