Dr. Edward Mazak Advancement in Public Awareness Award

In order to recognize achievements in raising public awareness about health care fraud, the CHCAA instituted the "Dr. Edward Mazak Advancement in Public Awareness Award" in 2005. Dr. Mazak was a practicing dentist as well as a Dental Consultant for a private insurer. His years of service to the dental profession and the insurance industry gave him a unique insight into the abuse of health care benefits and its overall affect on health care costs. This award is presented annually to individuals and organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to raising public awareness of health care fraud through efforts such as the development and implementation of a fraud awareness program or distributing anti-fraud information in a public forum.

The CHCAA congratulates the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), who was this year's recipient of the Dr. Edward Mazak Advancement in Public Awareness Award, presented at the CHCAA Annual Conference on September 21, 2012 in Niagara Falls, ON.

"IBC is one of the best organizations actively promoting anti-fraud efforts. Over the past couple of years they have spent much time and resources, particularly in investigating staged auto collisions, an issue that has impacted upon the dollars spent in the health care system, due to fraudulent health insurance claims. With every arrest, they have been going to the press, and some of the stories emanating from these reports also highlight clinics and their involvement in fraud scams," said Joel Alleyne, Executive Director of the CHCAA.

Winners of the Mazak Award:

2012 Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC)

2011 Michele Henry - The Toronto Star

2010 Marijka Hurko and Ioanna Roumeliotis - CBC National News

2009 Diana Zlomislic & Dale Brazao - Toronto Star

2008 CBC News Marketplace

2007 Competition Bureau

2006 Tom Blackwell - National Post

2005 Pharmacist Education Program