Federal Crime of Medicaid Fraud – 18 U.S.C. § 1347
Medicaid fraud and Medicare fraud are intentional crimes that have become increasingly common and covered under 18 U.S. Code § 1347 . Our federal criminal attorneys are familiar with federal laws pertaining to Medicaid fraud, and we are experienced with federal courtroom procedures. If you are facing Medicaid fraud charges, we can and will help you.
We will thoroughly review your case and pinpoint any ambiguities and/or charges that have no merit. We aim to protect your rights, freedom, and reputation. Medicaid fraud is to intentionally collect funds through billing for medical services or products that were never provided.
Medicaid fraud is the theft of government money through false statements.
Other ways Medicaid fraud is committed is by filing false time sheets, billing for never made face-to-face visits, and submitting billings for physician office visits when the clinic has no licensed physicians on staff.
This really has to do with healthcare fraud when you're talking about Medicaid, and as far as the elements, in order to prove a Medicaid for a healthcare fraud case, the government is going to have to show that somebody executed some sort of a scheme or plan to defraud any health care benefit program.
Or, to obtain by means of false or fraudulent promises, pretenses, property owned or in the custody or control of a health care benefit program in connection with the delivery or payment for health care benefits, items, or services, the person is looking at up to ten years and in some cases it could be up to twenty years in prison, depending on exactly what happens.
So, those who are running scans that are cheating the government out of money will be looking at state, federal, and civil penalties.
As far as when the feds are going to get involved, it's usually going to have to involve big numbers and sophisticated players — like if doctors get involved and are scamming the government out of money by way of some false scheme where they have fake patients or fake services,
I've seen the feds come in and even lawyers helping the doctors — personal injury lawyers.
If the feds see a big scheme, they're going to investigate it. They're going to wiretap people. They're going to get co-operators. They're going to do anything they can in order to bring down anybody who is taking dollars away from the government.
That's what the FBI, Homeland Security, the Secret Service — all these federal agencies are supposed to be guarding against so people don't take money or cheat the system.
Medicare Fraud
The Federal government has been heavily monitoring Medicare fraud. Excessive fines and imprisonment result from a conviction of Medicare fraud. Our federal criminal defense lawyers are here to prevent harsh penalties by defending and fighting charges of Medicare fraud.
If you are facing Medicare fraud charges, we understand the stress you are under, and we want to do everything we can to help you and to help protect your freedom, rights, and reputation.
Medicare fraud generally occurs in nursing homes, hospitals, residential facilities, and other healthcare provider facilities. Medicare fraud charges arise when these healthcare providers bill Medicare for supplies and services that were never needed, received, or provided.
In a charge for Medicare fraud, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was an actual intent to deceive. Our duty to you as our client is to refute the evidence presented against you and assert any defenses applicable to your specific case.
Our law firm has the experience, knowledge, and skill that equip us to efficiently and competently defend you in a charge of Medicare fraud. Due to the severity of the penalties that result from a Medicare fraud conviction, it is important that you contact an experienced defense lawyer to get on your case.
Various Types of Scams
Sometimes it takes them a long time to do it. There are all kinds of different scams going on out there, and it's just a matter of time before the government swings around put its eyes on someone who's making a lot of money related to the government and taking that money and putting it in pockets that it should not be in.
It's interesting how some of these schemes get brought to life. Sometimes a doctor will get busted. Sometimes a patient will get busted. Sometimes an attorney will get busted and those people want to help themselves. They don't want to be in trouble, so they'll cooperate with the government and let the government know what the government wants to know in order to get out of going to a lengthy prison sentence.
So, the government will have people who are cooperating on the inside — employees, attorneys, doctors — so, if you're caught up in one of these healthcare fraud or Medicaid fraud schemes at the federal level, you better get to an attorney as fast as possible so you can start making the right moves in order to help yourself.
Seeking the Best Possible Outcome
What I do is sit down with you and figure out exactly what we can do to put you in the best possible position. That means you are being honest with me. Tell me what part you may have played in any type of Medicaid or Medicare healthcare fraud, and maybe they don't have the right story. Maybe they have half the story.
Maybe someone has mischaracterized exactly what you did. If that's the case, then what we need to do is sit down so I can start to turn the tide in your favor as it relates to this Medicaid fraud case, put you in the best position, and get you out of the federal system as fast as possible, try to get some of this exposure away from you where you're looking at prison time and get your case resolved as fast as possible.
Penalties for a conviction of Medicaid fraud can result in excessive fines and prison for a term of years, sometimes up to 5 years. Our federal criminal defense lawyers want to prevent these severe penalties and fight these charges imposed against you. If you or someone you know is facing Medicaid fraud charges, call the Hedding Law firm to discuss your case.
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