Federal law strictly prohibits any person or company from committing fraud against the Medicare or Medicaid programs. A party who fraudulently provides information to receive enrollment, improperly charges for services, or demands payment for illegal reasons commits a crime and may face harsh penalties.
However, the federal agencies that investigate and punish this fraud lack the resources needed to uncover every instance of fraud on their own. As a result, they allow normal people to come forward with information as whistleblowers. They encourage this behavior by issuing rewards for information that leads to convictions. A Lexington Medicare and Medicaid fraud whistleblower lawyer could help you if you are considering serving as a whistleblower regarding violations of federal healthcare laws. Contact our team of whistleblower attorneys today to learn more or to schedule a consultation.
People come forward as whistleblowers for many reasons. For some, the knowledge that they have helped bring a criminal enterprise to an end is enough motivation. However, to sweeten the deal, federal law authorizes the payment of rewards to whistleblowers.
According to 31 United States Code § 3730(c)(5), this award can be between 15 and 25 percent of the total money recovered in the Medicare or Medicaid scheme. However, these rewards are only applicable if the information that the individual provides to the government is new and directly leads to an investigation and conviction that recovers funds.
A Lexington Medicare and Medicaid whistleblower attorney is ready to help people come forward with information regarding fraud. They are also prepared to form writs of Qui Tam that demand the payment of a reward.
The core concept of fraud is simple to understand. It is illegal to provide information that leads another person to issue money or another benefit when that information is false. When it comes to cases alleging Medicaid or Medicare fraud, the federal False Claims Act is of particular interest.
31 United States Code § 3729 states that it is a felony for any person to knowingly submit information to the federal government for the purpose of receiving funds or payment under a government program. An essential concept here is the idea of intent. In short, a simple mistake on a Medicare or Medicaid claim is not illegal. To be an effective whistleblower, it is essential to have evidence of an intentional attempt to defraud the government.
A Lexington Medicaid and Medicare attorney is here to assist people in understanding if the information that they have is evidence of fraud. If so, they can explain how it fits within the framework of the False Claims Act and organize the evidence in a way that leaves no doubt about its usefulness.
The Medicare and Medicaid healthcare programs benefit millions of people throughout the country. Sadly, with so much money changing hands every day, the opportunity for fraud is never far away. Failing to properly charge for a service or providing misleading information on an application are examples of illegal activity that violates federal law.
If you believe that you have information about this type of crime, contact a Lexington Medicare and Medicaid fraud whistleblower lawyer now. They can provide more information about the False Claims Act and the programs that allow whistleblowers to come forward and demand a reward through a writ of Qui Tam.