Health care fraud is a serious and rampant offense in the Southern District of Florida. If you are charged with federal health care fraud, it's important that you understand the charges and penalties associated with this crime. In this blog post, we will discuss what constitutes health care fraud and how these charges can affect you in the long run.

What is Health Care Fraud?

Health care fraud is a broad term used to describe any type of fraudulent activity related to health care services or products. It includes billing for services or treatments that were not performed or providing false records to receive reimbursement for medical treatments. It could also include something as simple as using another person's insurance card to pay for medical treatment. Health care fraud can involve Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance companies, and other government-funded programs.

The Consequences of Federal Health Care Fraud Charges

If you are charged with federal health care fraud, it's important to understand the consequences of your actions. Depending on the severity of your charges, you could be facing prison time and/or heavy fines. The average sentence for federal health care fraud is four years in prison per count plus fines ranging from $15,000 to $250,000 per count. Additionally, if convicted of this crime, you may face exclusion from Medicare or Medicaid programs which would prevent you from receiving any form of compensation from these programs in the future. Finally, if convicted of a felony involving healthcare fraud involving more than $5 million dollars in losses or damages caused by your actions then you may be subject to additional penalties under 18 U.S.C § 1347 -the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). This statute can carry up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per violation if found guilty by a jury trial..

Defenses Against Federal Health Care Fraud Charges

If you've been charged with federal health care fraud there are several defenses available depending on your particular case. You may be able to argue lack of intent or knowledge that your actions constituted a crime which could result in reduced charges or even dismissal of your case altogether. Additionally, an experienced criminal defense attorney can use their knowledge of evidence rules and procedures such as chain of custody requirements when introducing evidence at trial which could help your case significantly as well. Lastly an attorney can challenge witness testimony as part of their defense strategy since witness testimonies are often key evidence used by prosecutors when trying cases involving healthcare fraud.

Federal health care fraud is a serious offense that carries severe penalties including prison time and hefty fines if found guilty by jury trial. If you have been charged with this type of crime it's important that you understand what constitutes federal health care fraud and the consequences associated with it so that you can make informed decisions regarding your legal defense options going forward. An experienced criminal defense attorney can provide guidance throughout the process while helping ensure that all applicable evidence rules and procedures are followed by prosecutors during trial which could result in reduced charges or even dismissal depending on the facts surrounding your particular case situation..