New Ruling Incentifies Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers Up To $9.9 Million

by Michael Khouri Lawyer

Many people assume that they will never be accused of Medicare fraud and so will never need a Medicare fraud attorney. This may have been probable in the past, but a new proposed law may significantly increase the frequency of such cases, making a Medicare fraud charge much more conceivable and a competent Medicare lawyer much more valuable. In fact, the recommended rule will make fraud whistle-blowing so lucrative that a large amount of innocent people are likely to be charged with the crime. Without an experienced Medicare audit attorney, many of these people will be convicted and forced to pay thousands or even millions of dollars in retribution.

Under the revised legislation, any person who supplies the Department of Health & Human Services with information concerning possible Medicare abuse may be eligible for a reward of up to $9.9 million. This is a substantial increase from the previous maximum of $1,000, and money-hungry individuals and organizations are sure to notice. In the past, providing a tip was hardly worth it, which may be why the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have only recovered a total of $3.5 million since July of 1998, when they first introduced the Medicare Incentive Reward Program. In that environment, it was safe for people to assume they wouldn't ever require a Medicare attorney or a Medicare audit lawyer.

Things on the horizon are looking drastically different, however. CMS speculates that they will collect an additional $24.5 million per year in fraud judgments as a result of the changes to their reward program, and that could translate into thousands more court cases in need of a Medicare fraud lawyer. According to the Medicare centers, these modifications will place their reward program more in line with the IRS reward program, which amassed a total of $1.6 billion in IRS revenue between the years of 2007 and 2012. In other words, the need for a Medicare fraud lawyer may become nearly as common as the requirement for a tax attorney.

In addition to the reward increases, the bill will also place tighter regulations on provider enrollment. For example, the Medicare program will be allowed to deny billing privileges in cases where a provider has habitually submitted faulty claims or in situations where a felony conviction is involved. Moreover, entities with outstanding Medicare bills may lose the privilege of enrolling in the program, and ambulances may no longer be able to back charge Medicare. As a result, more providers may be denied entrance into the Medicare program, which could further drive the Medicare lawyer demand.

Fortunately, a Medicare fraud attorney has the knowledge needed to protect you if you get caught in the crossfires of this new law. Don't wait until you need a Medicare attorney to contact one; find a good Medicare audit lawyer now so you can have an advocate on standby should the expected increases in Medicare lawsuits take place. If you have any questions about the Medicare Incentive Reward Program changes and how they might affect you, our firm would be happy to provide you with a knowledgeable Medicare audit attorney to answer them.

This Khouri Medicare site is intended to provide general information to consumers and lawyers about California medical attorney issues. It is not intended as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified lawyer about your specific situation.