Medicare fraud task force keeps promise: 30 arrests made
December 22, 2009
Federal authorities have fulfilled their promise and have now arrested 30 individuals as part of a Medicare fraud investigation. As of December 15, 2009, only a handful of arrests had been effectuated. Law enforcement officers served search warrants at homes and businesses in Miami and Coconut Creek, Florida. In total, 15 Miami residents have been arrested including doctors and nurses. Those arrested are facing some, if not all of the following charges: Medicare fraud, money laundering , mail fraud and making false statements.
Miami criminal lawyers while more than likely be retained or appointed by the court to represent those individuals.
The federal government continues to ramp up the Medicare Fraud Task Force. The task force is now operating in seven cities in the United States including Miami, Los Angeles, Tampa, Baton Rouge, Detroit, Houston and Brooklyn. The Medicare Fraud Task Force is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement assigned the task of using database analysis techniques to combat fraud. The federal government has vowed to save taxpayer's money and the Medicare system by going on the offensive.
A spokesman from the Health and Human Services issued a statement announcing the expansion of the task force by adding law enforcement agencies to the existing ones in an effort to reduce fraud and recover tax payer money. Several examples of Medicare fraud that have resulted in arrests include the following: in Detroit, individuals have been arrested for owning and operating clinics and paying kickbacks for patients to attend their clinics and feign symptoms to receive expensive neurological testing; in Brooklyn, clinics billed Medicare for unnecessary medical equipment such as expensive shoe inserts used for diabetes patients; and in Miami, doctors and nurses were charged in connection with charging , but failing to provide home health care services.
With the expansion of the Mortgage Task Force, it is apparent that the number of indictments in federal court will increase until the problem is eradicated. If you are contacted by law enforcement regarding an investigation into Medicare fraud, it is imperative to seek the advice of an experienced
Miami Medicare fraud lawyer to discuss your options. Under no circumstance, should you speak with investigators without the assistance of an attorney.
Feds Make 30 Arrests in Alleged $61 Million Fraud Scheme, Insurance & Financial Advisor.com, December 22, 2009.
