Feds promise to trim backlog of health care investigations

By AMANDA SEITZ
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials say they’re working to cut down on a growing backlog of complaints lodged against health care providers and government agencies by patients who claim their civil rights or privacy have been violated. Americans filed more than 51,000 complaints last year against health care agencies, a number that has grown tremendously — 69% — over the last five years, the Health and Human Services agency announced. Health care workers and patients, for example, can file federal complaints against providers, insurers, and government agencies. The federal agency responsible for investigating those complaints announced Monday it would reorganize to process investigations faster.