As a medical practitioner, you likely understand the severe consequences of committing Medicaid fraud. Even if you would never defraud your patients, though, the presence of fraudulent behavior elsewhere at your practice could have implications on your own license and personal life.
Medical professionals who are complicit in the act of Medicaid fraud will inevitably find themselves on the wrong side of healthcare law. If you notice any of the telltale signs of fraud at your practice, it is important to take action immediately.
1. Incorrect billing
Some hostile individuals in the medical field might believe that elderly patients with Medicaid benefits are easy to trick. That is why it is unfortunately common for fraud perpetrators to bill patients for services they do not receive or duplicate bills for a single service.
2. Overtreatment
Performing costly procedures that are unnecessary for a patient’s condition is an example of overtreatment. In a similar vein, prescribing medications that a patient does not need is also an example of illegal fraud.
3. Accepting kickbacks
When a hospital or other medical facility pays to solicit referrals from out-of-network professionals, it is an example of a “kickback.” This behavior can occur in areas where medical practices are particularly competitive against one another, but it is disingenuous and a clear sign of bad faith that may go against the best interests of patients with a dire need for proper care.
Sometimes fraud can occur as a one-off honest mistake that calls for corrective action and nothing more. However, such behavior can be indicative of malicious intent and the start of a pattern that can be disastrous for the future of your medical practice.