Do you know that most of the fraud against the Federal Government under the False Claims Act has been in the health care sector? The act was originally passed under President Lincoln during the Civil War to fight fraud by defense contractors. It was amended (in 1986) and since then over $40 billion dollars has been recovered. Basically, it allows people who have insider info of fraud against the Feds to file suit against the bad guys on behalf of the government. If the case is settled or there’s a judgement against the defendant, the whistle blower gets a fee. Typically you would receive anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the recovery (minus attorney’s fees and costs).
One area where fraud is rampant is in billing. This usually involves doctors, hospitals, or labs that (1) bill for services that were never done, (2) or weren’t needed, (3) or upcoding for services or equipment. These schemes are usually uncovered by doctors, nurses, accountants, adms or billers who know exactly what’s going on. They may have even been written up or fired for trying to stop it. Another scam involves doctors getting kickbacks for referring Medicare or Medicaid patients to other healthcare providers.
Healthcare fraud accounted for $2.6 billion of the $3 billion recovered last year. Therefore, if you need a Medicare or Medicaid lawyer in South Carolina, contact the Law Offices of David L. Hood. We can let you know if it’s our opinion that you have a potentially viable case. This can be done in complete confidence and at no cost to you.
If you’ve witnessed government fraud at work and would like to discuss possibly filing suit, contact The Law Offices of David L. Hood for a free, off the record consultation. You can reach our statewide locations via phone, text, email or chat 24 hours a day. We look forward to hearing from you!
