A conflict of interest for Medicare auditors

If the principle is sound, then we ought to apply it all the way around:

1. Private tax auditors who get to keep 20% of the taxes found unpaid.

2. Private corporate auditors who get to keep 20% of the discrepancies found in the books.

3. Appealate courts get to keep 20% of the awards that they overturn.

4. And last but not least, campaign finance auditors who get to go through congressmen’s books and keep 20% of any mishandled funds.

The difference between this and qui tam suits is that it is the defendant who then has to go to court and contest it if they wish–and the randomness of the targeting.