Fischer v United States, 529 U.S. 667 (2000), was a United States Supreme Court case that ruled that the scope of the federal bribery statute 18 U.S.C.

§ 666(b), which applied to organizations that received "benefits in excess of $10,000 under a Federal program", included funds received through Medicare.

[1] In a 7-2 opinion written by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the Court held that, "The government has a legitimate and significant interest in prohibiting financial fraud or acts of bribery being perpetrated upon Medicare providers....

Fraudulent acts threaten the program's integrity...."[1] Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Antonin Scalia, argued that Medicare funds did not constitute bribery as the only people who ultimately received the benefits were patients.

[1]