Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Attorneys

Are You Facing Medicare Fraud Charges in Los Angeles?

Medicare is social insurance that provides federally funded healthcare for people over 65. Medicare fraud is any intentional effort to fraudulently collect reimbursement from Medicare, the US military’s TRICARE program, or federal workers’ compensation.

The United States government prosecutes Medicare fraud. If you have been accused of Medicare fraud, you will be going up against determined and well-funded federal prosecutors. Penalties for Medicare fraud are severe. If convicted, you may be facing federal prison and several hundred thousand dollars in fines.

Our experienced Los Angeles criminal attorneys at Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP won’t be intimidated by federal prosecutors. We’ve had success getting charges reduced or dismissed and helping our clients maintain their professional licenses. Call (213) 688-0460 to schedule a free case evaluation.

Who Can Be Charged with Medicare Fraud?

Medicare fraud costs the federal government billions of dollars every year. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force monitors, investigates, and prosecutes Medicare fraud. It includes agents who work for the Department of Justice, DEA, FBI, IRS, Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General, and other government agencies.

The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is very active in California because the state receives billions of dollars in Medicare funds every year. Anyone who receives funding from Medicare, TRICARE, or workers’ compensation can be charged with Medicare. This includes:

• Doctors
• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Pharmacies
• Nurses
• Healthcare executives
• Hospice care
• Registered care
• Nursing homes
• DME providers
• Laboratories
• Cancer treatment centers
• DNA centers

Types of Medicare Fraud

There are many ways a practitioner or a provider can collect Medicare funds for services not rendered. This may include:

• Billing for unnecessary supplies or services
• Phantom billing for services not performed
• Unbundling – charging separate expenses for a single procedure
• Upcoding – using an inaccurate billing code to get higher reimbursement
• Double billing – one provider bills twice or two providers both bill for the same procedure
• Bill padding with charges for unnecessary medicine, consultation, or other illegitimate expenses
• Self-referral to an entity where the provider has a financial interest (Stark Law)
• Accepting kickbacks

Defending Clients Against Medicare Fraud in Los Angeles

Defendants charged with Medicare fraud can be prosecuted under several different federal criminal statutes, including anti-kickback statutes, filing false claims, and the Social Security Act. Penalties may include triple damages, up to ten years in prison per count, and a lifetime sentence if someone dies as a result of Medicare fraud.

Medicare fraud is very difficult to prove. In many cases, it’s the result of a mistake rather than actual criminal intent. Effective defenses against Medicare Fraud include:

• Lack of criminal intent
• Human error
• Overwhelmed employees
• Complex and changing laws
• Untrained or inadequate staff
• Inadequate supervision

Speak to Our Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Defense Lawyers

Our Los Angeles medicare fraud defense lawyers at Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP are nationally recognized for winning tough cases against federal prosecutors. We don’t back down to anybody.

Our team will investigate the charges against you and provide skilled counsel to help you get a favorable outcome.

Call (213) 688-0460 to learn more today.