White collar criminal charges are typically associated with financial crimes. This is a term used to describe a wide range of activities, but all of them are done with the intent of stealing money, obtaining some type of financial gain or securing access to sensitive information. One type of white collar crime is health care fraud.
Health care fraud charges are commonly associated with organizations that intentionally deceive insurance companies, but occasionally a care provider will come under scrutiny for these alleged activities. If you are facing allegations of this type of fraud, it is in your interests to take your situation seriously and pursue a strong defense that will allow you to face these charges effectively.
Fraud in the health care industry
Like other types of fraud, health care fraud is committed for the purpose of financial gain. In this industry, fraud can look like any of the following things:
- Billing the insurance company for more expensive procedures than were performed
- Billing for tests or procedures that were never actually performed for the patient
- Performing services that are not medically necessary to inflate the billing
- Putting the wrong diagnosis in the chart to justify certain procedures in billing
- Accepting kickbacks for referring patients to other providers
- Billing for separate services even if they were performed as one procedure
These are a few examples of how fraud can happen in health care. If your billing practices are under scrutiny or you are hearing of accusations of defrauding the insurance company, you do not want to face these allegations alone. While it may seem like a victimless crime, federal and state laws take every type of fraud seriously, and you will face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
Where should you start?
At the first sign of a problem or the initiation of an investigation into your activities, you would be wise to seek the experienced guidance of a Michigan defense attorney. When you have a legal ally on your side, you will have the support you need to build an effective defense that challenges the evidence against you.
A guilty plea or conviction is never your only option. Find out how you can fight back by seeking a complete assessment of your case and an explanation of the legal options available to you.
