Health Care fraud covers a variety of frauds in the health care field. Some of the most prevalent health care fraud schemes include: billing for services not rendered, upcoding of services (i.e., billing for more expensive service than the one actually provided), upcoding of items (e.g., billing for a motorized wheelchair when a only a manually propelled chair was provided), duplicate claims for a single service, unbundling (i.e., submitting bills in a fragmented fashion in order to maximize the reimbursement for various tests or procedures that are to be billed together at a reduced cost); excessive services (services in excess of the patient’s actual needs); medically unnecessary services (services not justified by the patient’s medical condition) and kickbacks. The FBI has recently stated that health care fraud investigations are one of the highest priority areas of investigation in its White Collar Crime Program, ranking behind only Public Corruption and Corporate Fraud.
What should I do if I have been charged with health care fraud?
If you have been charged with a health care fraud crime, speak to a knowledgeable defense lawyer as soon as possible. Early preparation by an experienced defense lawyer can increase your chances of a favorable outcome, including the possibility of charges being dropped.
