Understanding Healthcare frauds is easier when it comes to someone stealing a person’s name or other insurance information with a view to fraudulently obtaining a medical device or prescription drugs. An experienced Medicare fraud attorney suggests Healthcare Providers to become aware of the following tips on best practices to prevent becoming a victim of Medicare fraud by fraudsters or your patients’ becoming a victim through your office staff or others:
- Protect the identity of your patients. Remember under HIPPA you are responsible for the confidential information of your patients
Ensure that Medicare numbers and Social Security Numbers stays protected. Check out thoroughly the background of all staff whom you are to hire.
- Avoid lucrative offers
Abiding by the golden rule, nothing is freely available in this world. Never accept any forms of discount offers, money or any type of remuneration in exchange for your referrals of patients. Fraudsters do not tell you that you are receiving a bribe. When they create a fraudulent scheme they create elaborate arrangements so as to avoid looking like a fraud. They try to make sure that you believe that you are somehow receiving a legitimate payment for legitimate services and not for referrals or other prohibited activity.
- Ask questions
Raise queries whenever you have any question in your mind. As a physician, you are entitled to know everything about the treatment process you are being asked to refer your patients to or to implement yourself. If you are to receive anything of value out of the process, then your red lights should go on and you need to know how it is legitimate to do so. Fraudsters often have elaborate contracts and arrangements that are attempts to conceal their frauds. They want you, as the healthcare provider, to be exposed to the government for wrong-doing and not them.
- Know your rights
It is also essential that you know what rights you hold as a Medicare service provider. This knowledge shall give you a complete overview of what all you can bill under the Medicare program and what if anything, you can receive from others. You must also know your limits.
These are just a few tips as suggested by an experienced Medicare Fraud Attorney. A Medicare Fraud Attorney can help the provider to avoid being defrauded by fraudsters who would take advantage of you and the Medicare program as well as setting you up for the fall. Don’t be the dupe. Get proper advice from an experience Healthcare Attorney. Call the Law Office of Kenneth Joel Haber, PC at 301-670-0016 and cut your risks.
