Are you a doctor accused of Medicare fraud?

On Behalf of | Mar 30, 2018 | Blog |

You did all the work, you made it through college, medical school and all your years of training. You’ve been involved a successful practice for many years now. All in all, you’ve done well for yourself and you’ve done what you thought was best for your patients. Then, it happened, you received word that your practice was being investigated for Medicare fraud. At the end of the investigation, police placed you and several employees at your clinic under and found yourself facing charges.

Insurance and Medicare fraud is a very big and very real issue in the United States. It’s said that this type of fraud costs insurance companies upward of $100 billion annually. As such, it is not an issue that they or law enforcement officials treat lightly.

Types of Medicare/Insurance fraud

Insurance fraud comes in many forms. A few of the most common include:

  • Making false claims
  • Forging signatures
  • Providing treatments that are unnecessary
  • Changing service dates
  • Over charging for services
  • Modifying medical records

There are many more, but you get the gist. Authorities consider anything deemed unethical, wrong, not in the best interests of the patient and done in order to collect more money as insurance fraud.

What to do if charged with Medicare or insurance fraud?

First, do not panic. The charge is coming from an accusation. You still have the right to defend yourself in court. Various defense strategies may be available to you. The best thing you can do for yourself is keep yourself together and do what you can to prepare for the upcoming legal proceedings.

Consequences

If you go through the court process and the court finds you guilty on any level, potential consequences for insurance fraud include:

  • Incarceration
  • Payment of fees
  • Payment of restitution to victims
  • Loss or suspension of medical license

Obviously, any of these penalties can be life changing and affect your livelihood.

If you, as a medical provider, find yourself facing accusations of Medicare or other insurance fraud, this is not an issue you have to deal with alone. Anyone accused of a crime has the right to retain legal counsel who will do everything to fight for the best interests of the client. You can protect yourself, your rights and your future with the right help on your side.