Arizona Health Care Fraud Defense
Health Care Fraud Defense Attorneys
The health care field is changing rapidly and with new regulations being implemented every day, incidents of health care fraud are likely to spike in the next five years. Health care fraud involves potentially serious charges when a doctor, nurse, hospital administrator or nursing home manager is accused of willfully misleading an insurance company or the government about health care charges or costs. This crime is most commonly associated with Medicare or Medicaid fraud, although private insurance fraud is also a serious offense.
If you are accused of Medicare, Medicaid or insurance fraud related to health care expenditures or services, you can expect a vigorous prosecution of your case. Any time money is tied to the government or an insurance company, the chances of anyone “simply dropping” the charges are small. Most health care fraud cases are based on monetary amounts, but defrauding a government program may also carry stiff prison sentences and extra fines in addition to reimbursement of the alleged stolen amounts.
Handling a Medicare, Medicaid or health care insurance fraud case without the help of qualified legal counsel is usually not a wise decision. These cases are often extremely complicated and frequently involve issues such as licensure, accounting and reporting and governmental forms and red tape. A health care fraud case can quickly become an insurmountable pile of paperwork the average person might never be able to sort through. On the other hand, retaining an attorney with experience in dealing with the issues inherent in a complex medical fraud case can be a very wise decision and may ultimately save you thousands of dollars in fines and months or years in jail.
Because the law regarding health care is currently in a state of change, it is important to have professional criminal legal representation for any accusations of health care fraud or mismanagement of funds. A criminal defense attorney who handles health care fraud may be able to offer you advice and counsel on how to handle your criminal case given the changing health care laws and how to avoid becoming a target for further government prosecution. A criminal defense attorney will offer you a free consultation to discuss your case and determine the best way to proceed with your defense. You may find that a plea agreement is your best option; on the other hand, you may find that defending your case is not as hopeless as you might have thought. Either way, your rights must be protected, and a criminal defense attorney is one of the best ways to accomplish that goal.