Whether you’re a doctor accused of ordering unnecessary tests to receive more money or a parent who allegedly lied when filing out a medical insurance application, you may face fraud charges. However, those accused of healthcare fraud will discover this is a serious offense, most commonly charged as a felony. As such, it’s imperative to contact an Oklahoma City white-collar crime lawyer as soon as possible if accused of this crime. Keep reading to learn more about these charges and how to proceed if facing this offense.
What Constitutes Healthcare Fraud?
Healthcare fraud most commonly impacts providers like doctors, nursing homes, laboratories, and pharmacists. These entities will often bill patients for services they never received or misrepresent minor visits as more expensive services. Similarly, doctors may falsify patient records to order additional, unnecessary tests to receive a higher reimbursement fee.
However, healthcare fraud can also be charged to patients who misrepresent their information to receive medical assistance. For example, falsifying your income or the number of members in your household to obtain medical insurance at a lower cost constitutes fraud. Similarly, pretending to be another person to receive treatment under their name and insurance is also against the law.
What Are the Penalties for This Offense?
In Oklahoma, providers facing healthcare fraud charges will face a felony if the amount of illegal payments is $2,500 or more, while facing up to three years in prison. Similarly, you must pay fines of up to three times the amount of illegally collected money or $10,000, whichever is greater. It’s also important to understand that you can face intense implications from the Oklahoma Medical Board, such as additional fines, a license suspension, or the full revocation of your medical license. As such, you will not legally be allowed to practice medicine.
For non-providers, those who receive over $5,000 worth of benefits will be charged as a felony with the potential for five years in prison.
What Should I Do if I’m Facing Charges?
If you’re facing charges, the most important thing to do is to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Unfortunately, these charges may simply be a billing error or typo, miscommunication with the billing staff, or a doctor truly thought the patient needed the tests ordered. As such, it’s essential to provide all necessary information to your attorney as soon as possible, whether you’re a provider or patient.
At the Jones Firm, PLLC, we understand that facing a felony charge can severely impact your life. Not only can it affect your employment, whether you’re a doctor or patient, but it can have social ramifications. As such, we will explore every avenue possible to help defend your circumstances to the best of our ability, given the specific circumstances of your case. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.
