Healthcare / Medicare Fraud

In the current struggling economy, there have been many healthcare providers and people facing health care fraud. On the one hand, some falsify or misrepresent Medicare claims, some doctors violate the Medicaid and Medicare program needs, while on the other hand, some are convicted of a crime which they did not commit.

Medicare or health care fraud is a leading crime. Practitioners, both nurses and doctors, who are convicted of this crime face forfeiture of their professional licenses and loss of their careers. Those charged with this offense will need the assistance of experienced and aggressive criminal defense representation. If you are in need of the best Pittsburgh healthcare fraud lawyer, then call us at Logue Law Group. Our lawyers can defend hospitals, doctors and other forms of health care providers and facilities from Medicaid and Medicare fraud accusations. The federal investigators will strive hard to collect evidence which will help in building a strong case and turn it to a determined prosecutor that will seek out the utmost penalties. So, taking the help of an experienced attorney matters.

A Close Look at Common Medicare and Health Care Schemes

Under the category of Medicare and Health care fraud comes a lot of activities. Generally, the most common medical practitioner schemes include:

• To make bills for care or services that they never offered
• To upcode billing for a more costly service or method than those offered in the real terms
• File duplicate claims
• Carry out unneeded medical solutions chiefly for obtaining the insurance payments
• Misrepresent solutions as medically essential when not actually required, chiefly to acquire insurance payments
• To make bills for non-covered solutions like covered solutions
• Take kickbacks especially for patient referrals
• Prescribing medications that are unnecessary
• Falsifying the medical records of patients
• Making fraudulent Medicaid claims
• Making fraudulent Medicare claims

The fraud schemes related to health care or Medicare that are perpetrated by non-practitioners are comprised of pretending to have a medical condition in order to get medications to resell, such as pain killers, using someone else’s health care information to obtain medical services, or making a false medical claim. A healthcare fraud attorney in the Pittsburgh area will be familiar with the complexities of these situations.

What is the Penalty?

As per federal law, it is illegal to implement or to try and implement a scheme for defrauding health care programs like Medicare, or for obtaining via fraudulent or false means property or money owned or under any health care program’s control.

Once charged with such fraud, you will find yourself facing anything from a small fine and restitution to a hefty fine and years of imprisonment. It all depends on the severity of your case. If the fraud leads to severe bodily injury, then the fines will go up and also the imprisonment period will extend up to 20 years.

Defenses Against Healthcare Fraud

When a person is charged with healthcare fraud, be they a practitioner or patient, the prosecutor must prove that he or she intended to defraud. He must prove that the person was part of a scheme to get money from the government or a health care provider. An aggressive and experienced Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney like those at Logue Law Group can make it clear to the judge and jury that you simply made a mistake, and had no intention of defrauding anyone.

Ways in Which a Pittsburgh Healthcare Fraud Attorney can Help

Once charged with a Health Care or Medicare fraud, you will have to face a determined Pittsburgh prosecutor and inflexible laws. During such circumstances, the help of the best criminal lawyer will work wonders. Our lawyers will help you in determining all your choices and attaining the finest results for your circumstances. Logue Law has created a reputation for defending such fraud cases successfully. Speak to our Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyers at Logue Law Group and book an appointment. Rest assured, you will never regret your decision.

Next time you need a healthcare fraud lawyer in Pittsburgh, call us at 844.PITT.DUI or 844.PITT.DUI or contact us online.