Los Angeles Health Care Professional Defense Lawyer

Health care fraud prosecution has become a top priority of law enforcement over the past few years. The Los Angeles health care fraud defense attorney Michael Kraut has extensive experience in handling Southern California fraud cases involving health care. Prior to opening the Kraut Law Group, Mr. Kraut was a Harvard Law School educated former senior prosecutor. He knows how law enforcement and prosecutors assemble a health care fraud case and knows how to attack their evidence and protect his clients.  Mr. Kraut represents physicians, therapists and other professionals who are being investigated, or charged with health care fraud or false or misleading billing practices.  The Kraut Law Group also intervenes when health care companies or insurance companies question the validity of an insurance bill.

As health care costs have increased, insurance companies have put increased pressure of prosecutors to charge doctors, dentists, nurses and other health care professionals with serious felony crimes. Law enforcement has been given grants from the State to assist in the identification of Southern California health care fraud. Often times these investigations begin with a phone call to a tip line. The resources that local law enforcement expends on health care fraud extends well beyond the primary care personnel to medical testing laboratories, equipment suppliers, residential care facilities, group homes, hospitals, and ambulance companies. In effect, any person or organization that bill for health services may be subject to healthcare fraud investigations and prosecutions.

Most Los Angeles health care fraud is charged pursuant to Insurance Code Section 1871.4. In addition, most of these cases also have a Penal Code Section 550 charge. The section is used when the person making the insurance claim makes a false material statement to either obtain, or deny insurance benefits. Because the insurance claim is based upon a false statement the prosecutor will also file a perjury charge pursuant to Penal Code Section 118. In some instances the employer who is charged with a health care fraud will violate Labor Code Section 3700. This section is a misdemeanor and is filed in the court documents for those who claim that an employee has no coverage for a workers compensation claim, when in fact the employee is covered by the benefit.

Health care fraud includes the following:

• Billing insurance carriers for healthcare that was not performed
• Requesting unnecessary patient testing
• Falsifying medical records
• Providing excessive unnecessary procedures
• Double billing for work performed
• Prescribing unnecessary medicines
• Billing for emergency services when they were not provided

The punishment for a conviction of health care fraud includes: Imprisonment in state prison or jail, loss of professional license, parole or probation, substantial fines and court costs, restitution that could include all monies collect from insurance agencies, an inability to be a Medicare or Medi-Cal provider in the future.

In most cases, law enforcement is working hand in hand with local prosecutors to assemble a substantial case against a health care provider. Often, health care professionals already know they are under investigation because they may have had search warrants executed at their work place, home, or bank accounts. After a search, it will take a substantial amount of time before charges are filed.

If you are a health care provider, or work in the medical field, and have been investigated, arrested or charged with a health care fraud offense, it is important to consult with a Los Angeles health care fraud defense attorney at the Kraut Law Group. Your career and your freedom may depend on getting the top professional representation that will provide you an aggressive defense. If you have been charged with a Riverside Health care fraud, a San Bernardino health care fraud, an Orange County health care fraud it is important that you seek the services of a criminal defense attorney with extensive experience in these types of cases. Mr. Kraut understands the serious nature of this offense, how best to defend you, and how to resolve your case without you going to jail. Mr. Kraut has extensive knowledge of the law and the legal system. He has developed excellent relationships with law enforcement and law officials throughout the Los Angeles and Southern California.

For more information about your Southern California health care fraud case call to schedule your free consultation, contact Michael Kraut at the Kraut Law Group. Mr. Kraut can be reached 24/7 at 888-334-6344 or 323-464-6453.