Federal officials say they recovered a record $2.5 billion in healthcare fraud judgments last year, and they're planning new security measures to crack down further on Medicare scams.

The Affordable Care Act will also allow authorities more power to combat fraud, including tougher screenings for providers and the ability to withhold payments during investigations. The Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services say the changes will end an antiquated system that puts authorities at a disadvantage.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is expected to soon detail the new measures. 

Experts say the solution to solving the nation's estimated $60 billion to $90 billion a year Medicare fraud problem lies in keeping fraudulent providers out of the system in the first place.