Fraud has plagued our health care system over the past few years. Last month alone, the Department of Justice announced over $1.4 billion loss due to these fraudulent activities.

That being the case for many years, the federal as well as the state government has tightened the measures and introduced a number of provisions to make these violators accountable.

These violations or fraudulent activities range from unethical billing practices to receiving kickbacks from a fellow health care professional. Whether it is intentional or not, you still have to face the sanctions and pay fines.

With that said, having a healthcare fraud lawyer who can help you with your case would not only make the tedious legal process a lot easier, but they would also help you in the following areas as well

Prevent Late Fees

There are three types of penalties when it comes to healthcare fraud: civil, administrative, and criminal. Civil penalties are generally monetary sanctions, administrative penalties would exclude you from any federal/state programs, and criminal penalties can lead to incarceration.

But, no matter what your violations are, you are most likely to face any type of civil penalties. Generally, violators and abusers are often required to pay for the damages they have caused plus fines.

Take the state of California as an example. Civil penalties that are not paid within 30 days shall be subjected to late fees.

Though payments are not necessarily an issue, there are times when some violators miss their due date or sometimes pay an incorrect amount, which then results in late fees adding up.

Protect You

If you happen to witness or know someone who commits healthcare fraud, then the best way to pursue them is to consult with a legal attorney first. Doing this would help you determine and decide the next steps that you should take.

Keep in mind that you can always report these violators to the government authorities directly. However, being a whistleblower comes with risks and even rewards.

As a whistleblower, there are a few laws that are only specific for healthcare fraud. On top of that, there are some risk and ethical considerations that you still have to take note of.

Rewards, on the other hand, are your incentives for doing a great public service by reporting these violators.

So by simply having a lawyer to help you, you can have a better understanding of the law as well as the cost of a risk you are taking. Other than that, your lawyer can even help you win your case so that you can get the rewards (which might include waiving your legal fees as well).

Provide Legal Advice

Being a healthcare professional or service provider, it is your duty to at least have a basic understanding of how the laws work in the healthcare industry.

Given that the laws surrounding healthcare can have lots of nuances and can sometimes be confusing, it is best to have a legal professional who can better explain it to you.

There have been cases where healthcare professionals face sanctions for being too careless and not being aware of the laws.

So before you make any hasty decisions, try to understand and get a better idea of how the law works first. This way, you can avoid paying hefty fines or other sanctions in the future.

Helps you comply

From preparing the necessary documents for the establishment of your clinic to hiring your most qualified staff, a legal professional can help you comply with all the necessary requirements set by the law.

Given that being a healthcare service provider entails a lot of responsibility, you cannot simply open your own clinic, hire anyone, and ask Medicare for reimbursement. Any healthcare service provider still has to comply with the standards set by the federal and state government. Failing to do so might result in violations and noncompliance.

Take your staff as an example. It is better to hire staff who has a Coding Training and Certification than those who don’t. Doing so would not only make the process in your clinic a lot easier, but you can also avoid any unnecessary billings or unintentional over-coding. Hiring a more qualified staff or training one would prevent you from paying monetary fines or penalties.

The Best Defense

Just like our overall health, the best defense against health care fraud is prevention.

By simply complying with the law, you would not have to pay hefty fines and face lengthy litigation. Having a lawyer who can help and guide you through the entire legal process would save you a lot of time and money.