We have clearly seen a shift in focus towards Medicaid fraud and other healthcare fraud cases by the state and federal law enforcement agencies over the last year or so. As news stories focus on the tremendous debts facing our states and country and the huge amounts of money involved in Medicaid fraud and healthcare fraud, the various law enforcement agencies follow suit with their investigations and prosecutions of healthcare fraud cases.
A recent press release from Eric Holder, the United States Attorney General, confirmed the government’s commitment towards making more cases against people suspected of Medicaid fraud and healthcare fraud. Mr. Holder noted that the government has collected more than $2.5 billion under the False Claims Act relating to health care fraud over the past fiscal year, which was a 50% increase over the prior year and the largest figure for any year. The government also initiated more than 2,000 criminal and civil healthcare fraud investigations and charged a record number of people with Medicaid fraud and healthcare fraud related crimes.
This press release confirms the trend we have seen for some time. The government, on a local, state and federal level, is really focusing on all aspects of healthcare fraud and making a record number of arrests. These arrests have involved anyone from the lower level employees to doctors, pharmacists and owners of the various medical facilities. If you have been contacted by anyone relating to a Medicaid fraud or healthcare fraud investigation and would like to speak with an attorney familiar with these matters, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.