Florida Healthcare Fraud Attorneys & False Claims Act Criminal Defense Lawyers
In the high-stakes world of health care fraud, a fraud allegation in Florida and its metro areas is more than just a legal challenge—it’s a direct threat to your business future and personal livelihood. Watson’s Florida healthcare fraud criminal defense lawyers and attorneys can help.
Florida Healthcare Fraud Lawyers and Federal False Claims Act Criminal Defense Attorneys Primarily Serving Tampa, Fort Meyers, Austin, Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, and All Florida Locations.
2332 Galiano Street, 2nd Floor, Coral Gables, FL 33134
(call (305)-728-7024 or our toll-free number 1(866-601-5518) for immediate help. Speak to Theodore Watson
Running your business and moving forward with your career, free of tarnish and allegations of fraud, overbilling, or having your reputation exposed is your goal. To meet that goal sometimes means dealing with health care fraud allegations that have no legal merit. Simply because the government launches and investigation against you does NOT mean that you have broken the law.
Northern Florida healthcare fraud defense lawyers: If you have been accused of defrauding Medicare, Medicaid or a private health insurance company, you could be facing a prison sentence and other substantial federal civil or criminal penalties. It is important to retain an experienced healthcare fraud criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
If you made an honest mistake, acted responsibly or even never intended to commit fraud against the government or any health care organization, there is a chance that you can be exonerated. To accomplish this goal, you want a. solid team that is dedicated to getting some results. This is where our Northern Florida healthcare fraud attorneys come in.
Are you equipped with the right legal strategy to protect and defend your practice and your reputation before it’s too late?
Healthcare providers throughout Florida and its metro areas are targeted by HHS, DEA, DOJ and other law enforcement agencies in high-stakes federal healthcare fraud investigations.
If you or the company have received a target letter, Civil Investigative Demand, or subpoena for a criminal case, immediately send our Miami, Florida healthcare fraud lawyers.
Government Investigations | HealthCare Fraud Whistleblower Defense Strategies | Subpoenas & Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) | FBI, HHS, Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and DOJ Investigations | Legal Attorney for Indictments | Medical Billing Fraud Criminal Defense | Federal Criminal Defense & Trials | Corporate Compliance | Internal Investigations | Health Care Fraud Investigations Defense
Companies and Individuals Have Become Targets for HealthCare Fraud Across the United States
Florida healthcare fraud lawyers and False Claims Act defense attorneys. For many healthcare providers, manufacturers, and small and large businesses, participating in federal government benefit programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare is essential to maintaining their financial success. When investigated for health care fraud, federal investigations can be intrusive, scary and complex.
Your company is subjected to Health Care Fraud False Claims Act charges. This makes you subject to both civil and criminal penalties. The most common healthcare fraud charges involve alleged overbilling of healthcare services and billing of medical services not rendered. These charges may be brought against doctors, hospitals, home health care agencies, pharmacies and many other types of medical service providers.
Federal Healthcare providers in Florida and nationwide are being targeted in federal healthcare fraud and False Claims Act investigations. Failure to secure the proper legal defense can expose you to jail time and serious fines. It’s time to find and hire an experienced healthcare fraud criminal defense attorney in Florida.
You Have Constitutional Rights that the Government Cannot Cross When They Are Trying to Take Your Life, Liberty or Property Away. Let Us Help You Protect Those Rights
Our Clients
- Physicians;
- Physician assistants;
- Nurses;
- Physical and occupational therapists;
- Pharmacies;
- Pharmacists;
- Drug manufacturers;
- DME suppliers;
- Hospitals; and
- Clinics
Types of Medical Fraud Cases
- Upcoding;
- Duplicate claims;
- Medically unnecessary services;
- Non-rendered services;
- Kickbacks;
- Stark violations;
- Trade Agreements Act
- Drug diversion; or
- Other fraud-related allegations.
- Others include: providing regular advice on billing issues and comprehensive regulatory compliance concerns that impact critical departments, including pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology, ensuring seamless adherence to evolving regulations; establishing and maintaining internal compliance controls,
We Reduce the Chances of You Getting on the Below Listings
Florida Physician Assistant Pleads Guilty To A $7.3 Million Health Care Fraud Conspiracy, December 3, 2024
Jacksonville Florida – Multiple Conspirators Sentenced In $54.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme, Dec 2, 2024.
Fort Lauderdale Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Defraud Medicare In The Provision Of COVID-19 Test Kits, November 25, 2024
What Is Healthcare Fraud?
The Health Care Fraud Statute, codified under 18 USC 1347, makes it a federal offense to intentionally and knowingly defraud a healthcare benefit program. This law also covers attempts to commit such fraud, treating them with the same severity as the crime itself.
For physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers in Florida, being accused of healthcare fraud is a serious and complex matter. The implications of such an accusation are far-reaching and multifaceted, creating significant challenges when facing healthcare fraud investigations by federal agencies such as the DOJ, DEA, OIG, or others. A federal investigation into “healthcare fraud” can arise from a variety of alleged actions, depending on the specific circumstances involved. This includes:
- Providing and billing for medically unnecessary services
- Billing for services not actually rendered to patients
- Falsifying patient records, prescriptions, physician certifications, and election statements
- Offering or accepting illegal “kickbacks” or referral fees
- Prescribing opioid medications to drug-dependent patients, diverting opioid prescriptions, and other forms of prescription drug fraud
If you are being investigated, indicted or charged with healthcare fraud, watch this video and start building your legal defense now. You are not automatically guilty simply because you have been charged.
What are Possible Legal Defenses to HealthCare Fraud?
There are some potential legal defenses to healthcare fraud charges:
Lack of Intent or Mistake – To commit fraud under health care fraud rules , you must have the requisite legal intent to cheat the government or insurer out of money. If you acted in good faith but made a mistake, accidentally omitted information, made an error, or made a mistake in billing, you cannot be convicted of health care fraud.
Insufficient Evidence – The government must have evidence of your intent to defraud and enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Without sufficient evidence, you cannot be convicted.
Compliance Program – Experienced Florida healthcare fraud attorneys and False Claims Act lawyers can help you by directing the fact of your case and aggressively surmounting a solid legal defense. Evidence of a comprehensive compliance plan can be used to show you lacked intent to engage in health care fraud.
Consent – You do not commit fraud if you were granted permission for your actions by the alleged victim. Evidence you were given permission to do what you are accused of is a defense against the charges.
Legal Attorney and Practice Lead
Call our False Claims health care qui tam defense attorneys and federal health care fraud criminal defense lawyers today for a Free Initial Consultation at 1.866.601.5518. Speak to Theodore Watson. Top Civil and Criminal Defense – False Claims Act and Florida healthcare fraud lawyers for small businesses and large corporations nationwide.
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Multiple Offices
- Washington, DC
- Denver, CO
- Miami, FL,
- Los Angeles, CA
- Dubai
Northern Florida healthcare fraud attorneys: We can also handle federal cases in every state. Our False Claims Act HealthCare Fraud lawyers serve Florida clients in northern and southern Florida: Jacksonville healthcare fraud defense attorney, Miami, Tampa, Austin, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee healthcare fraud defense attorney, Hialeah, Port St. Lucie, and Cape Coral, Duval County southern Florida healthcare fraud defense attorneys, and surrounding metro areas.
Federal False Claims Act
The False Claims Act (FCA) imposes civil and criminal penalties for the submission of “false or fraudulent” claims for payment by the federal government – including payment under Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and other federal healthcare programs. This includes intentional and unintentional billing and coding errors, as well as various other forms of healthcare fraud. Civil penalties under the FCA include fines, recoupments, treble damages, and program exclusion. Criminal penalties include fines and federal imprisonment. Call our Northern Florida healthcare fraud defense attorneys and False Claims Act criminal defense lawyers for immediate help.
The Anti-Kickback Statute
The Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) makes it illegal for healthcare providers such as doctors and physicians to offer, pay, solicit, or receive any form of payment, rebate, referral fee, or kickback in return for referring patients whose care is reimbursed by federal healthcare programs. The AKS imposes both civil and criminal penalties for violations. However, it also outlines specific “safe harbor” provisions that protect certain types of relationships and transactions from legal liability, shielding them from civil or criminal prosecution.
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Assist with activities to maintain rigorous compliance with state and federal fraud and abuse laws, along with other statutory and regulatory requirements. Conducted internal investigations and guided clients through self-disclosure processes.
Stark Law Legal Attornneys
Northern Florida Healthcare Fraud Defense Lawyers and Florida Stark Law Attorneys: The Stark Law specifically prohibits “physician self-referrals,” which occur when a physician refers patients to entities in which they or their immediate family members have a financial interest. Although the Stark Law shares similarities with the Anti-Kickback Statute—both addressing unlawful referral arrangements—it is distinct in several key ways. Our legal attorneys and Criminal defense team provides guidance to clients on intricate healthcare fraud and abuse laws, including the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Physician Self-Referral (Stark) Law, and the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, ensuring strict adherence and compliance.
The Stark Law is a civil statute, not criminal, and its application is confined to transactions between physicians and their affiliated entities. Furthermore, it only pertains to transactions involving “designated health services.” Despite its civil nature, federal authorities frequently employ the Stark Law to investigate physicians, and violations can result in significant civil penalties.
Florida Medicaid Fraud Criminal Defense Lawyers
Medicaid fraud criminal in Florida cases are typically investigated and prosecuted by the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) Fraud Strike Force. This focus is usually to target false billing by medical professionals, doctors, and nurses. Oftentimes law enforcement agencies will set up undercover “sting” operations on suspected individuals who could be engaged in Medicaid fraud in Florida. Many criminal investigations are opened due to whistleblower tips.
The Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Team (“HEAT”) was created by the Department of Justice in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services. HEAT is dedicated to the prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse. HEAT only deals with Medicaid fraud and Medicaid fraud. If you are investigated or charged as a result of healthcare fraud, please call our Florida Medicaid Fraud criminal defense lawyers.
In Medicaid fraud cases, the investigators may allege or uncover several other offenses that often accompany Medicaid fraud allegations. These criminal offenses might include:
- Aggravated identity theft
- Asset forfeiture charges
- Conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud
- Durable products fraud
Immediate Help from Watson & Associates LLC
Whether you. are under federal investigation, presented with a civil investigative demand (CID) or subpoena, or being indicted by a grand jury, our federal criminal defense lawyers and Florida health care False Claims Act defense lawyers are here to help.
Contact Our Florida HealthCare Fraud Defense Lawyers
As 18 USC 1347 Florida healthcare fraud attorneys, we represent clients in all Florida and federal courts in Florida healthcare fraud cases under 18 USC 1347,. Please contact us to schedule a FREE initial consultation. Speak to our lead attorney, Theodore Watson, directly.