Home health care services are available to numerous Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries. To prove your eligibility, patients must be under the care of a physician who is required to certify that they need one or more of the following services:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Intermittent skilled nursing care
Additionally, patients must be homebound and not able to leave their home without special transportation due to their health conditions. Although these services are extremely beneficial for those in need, there are many instances where providers engage in the fraudulent provision of services. Engaging in home health care fraud can have a damaging impact on a patient’s rights and prevent others from getting the quality services they need.
How Home Health Care Fraud Scams Work
Home health care fraud occurs, in most cases, where providers bill for services without actually providing them to patients. The beneficiary is often asked to sign forms verifying the therapist or nurse showed up at their home even if they actually do not provide them with the services needed.
In some cases, fraudulent physicians will falsely certify that the beneficiary is insulin-dependent and cannot inject themselves with medication. As a result, they will receive coverage for at-home care even if they are not really living under these terms. Other circumstances involve physicians that fraudulently certify that a beneficiary is homebound. In exchange, the beneficiary will be provided cash from the home health aide.
Fighting Charges for Home Health Care Fraud
There are instances where providers are falsely accused of engaging in home health care fraud. Billing Medicare and Medicaid for services that are not provided to patients is highly illegal. It is imperative that you are extremely cautious if you are offered money or free services in exchange for your Medicare card number. Innocent patients can find themselves in legal turmoil quickly by engaging in these actions. If you ever receive a billing statement for home health care services that are not rendered, it is imperative that you act quickly to ensure your Medicare card and information are not compromised. Working with a home health care fraud defense attorney in your area will ensure you have the best chances of beating your case.
Our Team Can Help You
There are numerous instances where patients, vendors, surgeons, and other medical professionals and providers are accused of engaging in fraudulent actions. Not implementing a sound record-keeping system can drastically hinder the accused from proving their innocence. When providers and patients are accused of home health care fraud and engaging in other types of healthcare fraud, it is crucial that they contact an aggressive defense attorney as soon as possible.
Healthcare Fraud Group has decades of experience fighting to protect the rights of those accused of white-collar crimes throughout the entire country. Our team provides aggressive and competent legal representation to help those accused prove their innocence. Contact our law firm today at (888) 402-4054 to protect your legal rights.