According to the Oct. 4 article (titled “Health care fraud crackdown – 91 arrested”), the defendants are being accused of being involved in charging the federal government in “phony bills,” such as billing for ambulance rides that were not actually medically necessary. The case developed following increased crackdowns on such fraud by the Obama administration. In recent years, there have been various sweeps that have led to more than 1,480 people being arrested for suspected health care fraud, according to the article.
The indictment is claiming that the Los Angeles defendants were involved in falsified Medicare billings that cost the government more than $65 million. Of the total costs allegedly incurred by all the defendants in the case, there are claims that more than $230 million were due to home health care fraud and more than $100 million were due to fraud related to community health care.
Health care fraud is a highly complex area of the law that can lead to severe repercussions upon a conviction. Cases only become even more serious when they involve alleged crimes against the federal government. According to the FBI, health care fraud costs the nation about $80 billion per year and is considered to be a rising threat. Considering these facts, it is extremely crucial that individuals who are dealing with these types of charges obtain only the most qualified legal counsel. With the help of an attorney, a defendant might be able to set the record straight, clear his or her name and avoid or minimize the severe penalties that could result from such a conviction.
The Law Offices of Peter Berlin handles health care fraud cases, as well as other white collar crimes. Individuals who are accused of these types of criminal offenses can contact the firm for aggressive and strategic legal representation. Mr. Berlin is an Encino criminal defense attorney serving all of Los Angeles County. More information is available at http://www.encinocriminaldefenseattorneys.com.
