How to avoid ZPIC sting
To understand what a ZONE Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC) is you have to know what a ZPIC does; that is what its functions are. When you know how a ZPIC functions and what motivates it, you will know why you need a ZPIC Attorney or a ZPIC audit Attorney. A ZPIC Lawyer or ZPIC Attorney is an individual who is experienced in doing what a ZPIC does. Kenneth Haber, as a former Assistant United States Attorney and a former Sr. Attorney of the Office of Inspector General, has the very experience that most attorneys do not have and that includes those who claim to be ZPIC audit Attorneys or ZPIC Attorneys or whatever they might call themselves.
The primary goal of ZPICs is to investigate instances of suspected fraud, waste, and abuse and report them to the OIG and FBI or CMS. When Mr. Haber was a Senior Attorney in the Office of Inspector General (OIG), he undertook Medicare fraud investigations. When Mr. Haber was an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA), he directed the Special Agents of the OIG and FBI as to what he needed to prosecute those who were defrauding the Medicare program. This gives Mr. Haber insight that many others lack as to what aZPIC seeks to develop early in its investigations in order to refer cases to the OIG and FBI for presentation to an Assistant United States Attorney.
When a ZPIC does not have sufficient information to warrant reporting it to the OIG or the FBI, then the ZPIC seeks to use the information that it has to justify its contract with CMS. That is nominally to ensure that Medicare Trust Fund monies are not inappropriately paid but in reality it is to obtain statistics to justify the renewal of its contract. The ZPIC seeks to identify any funds that it can claim are improper payments that can be recouped by the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).
President Obama has already claimed that there is $500 billion in Medicare waste, fraud and abuse to pay for his Obama care. Now, Medicare and the ZPICs have to find the $500 billion even if it does not exist. That means that the ZPIC goes for the low hanging fruit even if it is not ripe. It will take administrative recoupment of your hard earned payments, if it does not have enough information to put you behind bars. It will put a payment hold on your reimbursements if it has the least justification. It can recommend the imposition of pre-payment review, even if that administrative procedure will suck the life out of your practice.
True ZPIC audit Attorneys and ZPIC audit Lawyers know what makes the ZPIC function and therefore, are in a far better position to protect you than those who do not have that knowledge. What you need to understand is that when you are first contacted by any Medicare contractor, you need to contact a ZPIC Attorney, ZPIC Lawyer, a Medicare Attorney, a Medicare Lawyer. That is an attorney who is experienced in Medicare administrative matters and in healthcare fraud matters. Ken Haber, as a former Assistant United States Attorney and as a former Senior Attorney of the Office of Inspector General and as an attorney in Medicare matters from criminal, civil and administrative perspectives for over 40 years, has the type of experience that you need.
Feel free to contact the Law Office of Kenneth Joel Haber, PC for a free, no obligation,initial consultation. Call 301-670-0016 before it is too late.
