What is the purpose of implementing actions to prevent improper payments in Medicare?

The purpose of implementing actions to prevent improper payments in Medicare directly aligns with the need to ensure compliance with regulations and standards set forth by the program. Compliance is crucial in healthcare because it helps maintain the integrity of the Medicare system, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately and that fraud or abuse is minimized. By preventing improper payments, organizations can uphold ethical standards, support accurate billing, and adhere to the guidelines established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

This focus on compliance indirectly supports other objectives, such as reducing costs and improving operational efficiency, but the primary driver is to ensure that Medicare operates within the legal framework and serves beneficiaries fairly and effectively. Other options, such as increasing patient volume or enhancing service diversity, do not specifically address the fundamental need for compliance within the context of payment integrity. Additionally, reducing administrative costs might be a positive outcome of compliance efforts, but it is not the main purpose of implementing actions against improper payments.