Health Care Fraud

Listen to people talking and almost everywhere you’ll hear conversations about health care.

It’s a topic of great concern because of all of the concerns about rising costs and changing plans. In addition, as with almost any other segment of society, there is the potential for health care fraud.

If you are accused of health care fraud, you’ll want to be represented by a highly-qualified criminal defense attorney who can help you navigate a very confusing legal system. Michael Anzalone of The Anzalone Law Firm in Nashua, New Hampshire, is that man.

As with any other fraud case, health care fraud is an intentional deception, or even a misrepresentation, that someone uses to get certain benefits or payments.

Health care fraud comes in several forms but the most common is billing for services that were not provided. This is a way that providers can commit fraud. They either issue bills for services or medical devices. When the money is provided by insurance companies for these “fraudulent” services, the funds are diverted into the account of the doctor or person who is committing the fraud.

Another way this is done is by a process known in the industry as upcoding. This means that a heath care provider bills for services or even products at a more expensive rate.

Yet another form of health care fraud, and one that has risen to the forefront as the opioid crisis has taken hold in New Hampshire, is prescription fraud.

This is a big one and it has serious consequences for doctors or health care providers who are accused of fraud. A practice known as “doctor shopping” is something that police officers and prosecutors are trying to crack down on. This practice occurs when patients visit multiple doctors’ offices or emergency rooms to get prescription drugs. They, in turn, either take the pills or sell them to others.

At any rate, getting caught up in this kind of fraud can be risky for the patient and the medical professional. Jail time, the loss of a professional license, and large fines and fees are all possibilities. Also, there is another big consequence. That is the loss of your reputation.

Your criminal defense attorney will tell you that health care fraud charges may come from the federal judicial system. There is a big difference between state court and federal court. In many cases, federal charges could be harsher than state charges.

So, if you are facing federal health care fraud charges, you can rest assured that Michael Anzalone is well-versed in trying cases at the federal level. He knows the ins and outs of both judicial systems.

He also wants you to remember that you are innocent until proven guilty. And the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. So, as your criminal defense attorney, Michael Anzalone will want to make sure that all of the evidence against you has been legally obtained and is actually admissible in court.

Please contact us today for a free consultation with Michael Anzalone.