The consequences of a health care fraud audit or investigation vary, depending on the type of fraud that is alleged against you and the number of violations you are being accused of committing. Regardless of the charges, the consequences can be severe. Many professionals and business owners can lose their business and deal with consequences in their personal and professional lives. There are several consequences that you can face, including:
Recoupments: Businesses and providers who are accused of overbilling Medicaid, Tricare, Medicare, or the DOL may be required to repay all of the amounts that they overbilled. In some cases, they may be subjected to pre-payment reviews going forward. What this essentially means is that they may have to prove the charges before being able to receive payment for products and services.
Program Exclusions: In some cases, professionals may not be able to particulate in any government-funded programs. Professionals who are convicted may not be able to provide services to patients participating in the Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid, or any DOL programs.
Treble Damages: In addition to having to pay recoupments, those convicted of healthcare fraud may be required to pay back up to three times the amount of actual losses to the government.
Licensing Consequences: A conviction for healthcare fraud can result in the loss of a state license to practice medicine. In some cases, providers may lose their DEA registration and face disciplinary actions.
Civil or Criminal Fines: Healthcare fraud offenses come with steep fines. In some cases, those convicted of healthcare fraud can be forced to pay restitution to the affected organizations as well.
Federal Prison: Health care fraud can result in lengthy prison sentences. Some offenders end up spending years or even decades in federal prisons for their actions.
Court Costs and Attorneys’ Fees: Being convicted of healthcare fraud count result in you being billed for attorneys’ fees and court costs. These can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the length of your trial.
If you have been accused of committing healthcare fraud, it is crucial that you seek legal guidance immediately. The consequences of a conviction are far-reaching. Working with a responsive, effective, and aggressive legal team will ensure you have the best chance of having your charges dismissed or reduced.
Healthcare Defense for Your Time of Need
There are numerous instances where vendors, surgeons, and other medical professionals and providers are accused of engaging in fraudulent actions. Unfortunately, lost records can drastically hinder the accused from proving their innocence. When individuals are accused of wire 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.
