Estimating and Understanding Health Care Fraud Victimization and Reporting in a Sample of Florida Residents

• In Event: EUROC 12 White-Collar and Corporate Crimes in Context II

Abstract

Fraud victimization is presumed to be an extensive problem. Yet, due to under-reporting of victimization more generally, it is unclear whether and why people choose to report and the factors that may effect the reporting decision. As well, while much of the research on fraud victimization has concentrated on identify theft, we center our investigation on health care fraud, which is a common fraud especially in the study location. Specifically, this study uses data from a random sample of Florida residents to examine individuals’ willingness to report health insurance fraud that they have experienced as well as fraud that they are aware of but have not directly experienced. In so doing, we examine how correlates derived from the theory of planned behavior help understand patterns of health fraud victimization and reporting.

Authors

• Nicole Leeper Piquero, University of Miami

• Alex Piquero, University of Miami, United States (former Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics)