How Seriously Does the Government Take Healthcare Fraud?

It does not take long to find examples of people being accused of trying to defraud the system of government-provided health care. Take, for example, the recent story of a doctor in Englewood, New Jersey who was charged with health care fraud in connection with charges for office visits that never took place, or prescription refills billed as office visits. His case, which will be heard in a federal court in Newark, is not unusual.

The seeming pervasiveness of fraudulent activity on the part of both providers and recipients of federally-funded healthcare programs has led to more determined efforts by the federal government to identify such activity and to prosecute it. A search for examples of Medicare and Medicaid abuse also quickly reveals a federal government initiatives to combat healthcare fraud. the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team Task Force and the Medicare Fraud Strike Force being two examples.

Examination of the many examples of federal prosecutions trumpeted by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services shows two things: first, many of these alleged and actual crimes involve large sums of money, frequently running into the millions of dollars; and second, the harsh penalties that result upon convictions.

Those finding themselves in the crosshairs of a federal investigation for Medicare or Medicaid fraud need to understand that federal prosecutors will be determined to make an example out of them, if for no other reason than to deter others. Defense counsel who are not prepared to deal with an aggressive prosecution will quickly find themselves hard pressed to adequately protect their clients.

The Law Offices of Robert G. Stahl has attorneys with extensive litigation experience defending clients in federal court, including against charges of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Our experience gives us the ability to know how federal prosecutors handle such cases. We understand that for our clients their personal and professional lives and reputations are at stake: the loss of liberty, devastating fines, loss of professional licenses that took years to qualify for and loss of businesses are all possible, and we prepare the best possible defense for our clients to avoid or mitigate these consequences.

When everything is on the line, you cannot afford to short-change yourself in choosing your legal defense team. Contact us to arrange for a free initial consultation to discuss your case.