Allegations of wrongdoing are concerning, but how serious can they be if they involve money and only money? The government and court system are not likely to push for too serious of a penalty if the accused did not cause physical injury, are they? This is especially...
Health Care Investigations
Texas officials crackdown on Medicaid fraud and healthcare marketing
The medical profession relies on integrity. We trust physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers to focus on helping their patients get well. Since this is also their profession, physicians and medical professionals profit from their service — but how do they...
Three things medical providers should know to prevent Medicare overpayment investigations
The government will come after those it believes wrongly received payment or overpayment from Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal programs — often aggressively. It is best to avoid such an investigation if possible. Physicians and those who run medical practices can...
Can feds pursue healthcare fraud charges if we only accept private payment from patients?
The government continues to doggedly pursue investigations of allegations of healthcare fraud. Healthcare groups and other organizations that take payments directly from patients as opposed to billing insurance may think they can avoid federal scrutiny, but this is...
Ambulance company owner pays over $2 million in fraud case
The federal government is not shy when it comes to allegations of healthcare fraud. These investigations can include pretty much anyone that operates in the healthcare marketplace, from physicians and nurses to large hospitals and independently operated ambulance...
What happens after the feds convict a doctor of fraud?
That was the question posed by a reporter with The Dallas Morning News. What happens after a medical professional, who spent over a decade of their life training to be a physician and serve patients, is convicted of defrauding the government for their own financial...
Feds see North Texas as a “hotbed” for healthcare fraud
Everything is bigger in Texas, and as far as the feds are concerned that old adage holds true for healthcare fraud in recent years. In the past, the feds could generally only pursue allegations of illegal kickbacks against providers who billed federal programs....
Hospital execs take note: If job in jeopardy, criminal charges could follow
Healthcare executives who have recently lost their job or who are currently under review are wise to take the matter seriously. In some cases, these actions are signs of a bigger problem: a federal investigation. The federal investigation could result in concerns of...
Feds take aggressive stance against NP, get 20-year prison term
The United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas recently announced the sentencing of a nurse practitioner (NP). The feds had accused the NP, who practiced in Texas, of engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare...
Acquisition in healthcare: Watch out for these federal regulations
One business buying another to further its operations or reach is not a new concept, but the laws and regulations that surround these transactions are constantly changing. In a recent example, a medical staffing firm out of Texas finalized its acquisition of a virtual...