White collar crime is generally considered to involve nonviolent criminal activity usually committed in a commercial setting with the intent of financial gain. This includes health care fraud. This is a serious violation of federal law, and anyone in Michigan convicted of this type of offense could be facing extensive time behind bars and other penalties with the potential of a life-long impact. In one recent health care fraud case, an individual was sentenced to prison and supervised release, and he was ordered to repay Medicare millions of dollars.
Charging for unnecessary procedures
The accused was a doctor who provided medical services related to the treatment of vein problems. The prosecution claimed that he recruited individuals who were Medicare beneficiaries, falsely diagnosed vein problems and then billed insurance for medically unnecessary procedures. By billing for these services and upcoding, the prosecution said the doctor defrauded Medicare out of approximately $12 million.
Some of the unnecessary procedures he performed on patients include vein ablation. He was also accused of reusing vein catheters that were intended for single use. Found guilty in a federal court of seven counts of adulteration of a medical device and multiple charges of health care fraud, he will spend 93 months in prison.
Facing serious federal charges
As this case demonstrates, accusations of health care fraud can be devastating. Any Michigan individual facing these charges will benefit from seeking immediate guidance from an attorney with experience in high-stakes federal cases. With the help of a knowledgeable legal ally, one can effectively fight for the best outcome to his or her case.
