Medicare and Medicaid Fraud

Raleigh Defense Lawyers for Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Investigations

For physicians, hospitals, and others in the healthcare industry, Medicare and Medicaid are crucial federal benefit programs that provide the funding necessary to treat patients who lack access to private health insurance. Unfortunately, due to widespread abuse, providers in North Carolina and around the country are increasingly facing federal investigations involving allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

Facing a Medicare or Medicaid fraud investigation is a serious matter. If you or an employee has unknowingly violated a federal healthcare statute, you will need to mount a strategic defense designed to avoid civil or criminal charges. But, even if you are innocent, the investigation alone can have a severe impact on your business or practice. To minimize the consequences of falling within the government’s crosshairs, you need a team of experienced healthcare fraud defense attorneys who can intervene in the investigation as soon as possible.

Experienced Representation for Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Investigations in North Carolina

The Raleigh healthcare fraud defense lawyers at Cheshire Parker Schneider bring decades of experience to defending North Carolina medical providers and practices in Medicare and Medicaid fraud investigations. If you have been contacted by investigators or prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Justice (DOJ) or any other state or federal agency, our attorneys can take aggressive action to defend you. We are available to represent physicians and other healthcare industry participants in cases involving allegations of:

• Billing for medically-unnecessary services or equipment
• False Claims Act violations
• Providing false physician certifications
• Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute violations
• Upcoding, unbundling and other forms of billing fraud
• Other forms of Medicare and Medicaid fraud

Penalties for Medicare and Medicaid Fraud

The penalties you are facing will depend on a number of different factors. First, you need to identify the statute under which you are being investigated. The federal government can bring Medicare and Medicaid fraud charges under a range of statutes, and each has its own unique penalties that vary depending upon the specific nature of the allegations.

Second, you need to know whether your investigation is civil or criminal in nature. If it is civil, you want to keep it civil so that prison time stays off the table. Both civil and criminal cases can lead to substantial financial liability; but, in criminal cases, defendants can also face years — if not decades — behind bars.

Speak with a Raleigh Healthcare Fraud Defense Lawyer at Cheshire Parker Schneider

If you or your business is under investigation for Medicare or Medicaid fraud in North Carolina, the Raleigh healthcare fraud defense attorneys at Cheshire Parker Schneider can help you protect your rights. If possible, our goal in every case is to help our client avoid civil liability or criminal charges, and the sooner you get us involved, the better. To get started with a confidential consultation, please call (919) 833-3114 or request an appointment online today.