FeatuIntegrity in healthcare is very important for ensuring that patients get the best care and that resources are properly used. Unfortunately, healthcare fraud can significantly impact this integrity and lead to losses that impact all American taxpayers.
Healthcare fraud places the financial health of a medical institution at stake, along with patient safety and quality of care. If you are a healthcare professional who participates in the medical billing and coding of Medicare claims, it’s beneficial to know your rights as a whistleblower should you ever experience healthcare fraud schemes at work.
In this article, we’ll explore the legal protections available to you, share insights from experts, and show how reporting healthcare fraud benefits the healthcare system and could even earn you a significant financial reward.
Overview of Whistleblower Protections
Whistleblower protections encourage individuals who expose fraudulent activities within an organization by protecting them and their confidentiality. According to the False Claims Act (FCA) and other whistleblower protection statutes, adverse actions regarding a whistleblower’s employment are prohibited and illegal. These measures enable those who raise cases of healthcare fraud to come forward confidently and be covered by the law.
Under the FCA, healthcare fraud whistleblowers are offered provisions that protect them and their employment. These protections are very important for medical billers, coders, doctors, nurses, and many others in the field who can easily become witnesses to fraudulent activities.
For instance, the FCA contains qui tam provisions that allow whistleblowers to file cases on the government’s behalf and share up to 30% of any financial recovery that results.
Expert Whistleblower Advice
The legal waters surrounding these issues can prove tricky to navigate, and advice is extremely valuable. Experienced whistleblower attorneys can offer essential insights and tips to help you understand the protections available to you.
Whistleblower attorneys also encourage potential whistleblowers to seek legal advice early so that they are empowered to know their rights and options clearly. Whistleblower experts then advise the whistleblower on the best way forward to report healthcare fraud, starting from the gathering of evidence to the filing of the claim, in a clear and secure process that makes the whole process easy.
Furthermore, whistleblower attorneys advise documentation and keeping records of relevant details on suspected fraudulent activities since these will be useful evidence in proving your case and having the allegations accepted as true.
How Whistleblowing Impacts Healthcare
By coming forward, you play a crucial role in safeguarding the healthcare system and ensuring that resources are used appropriately. Your actions can help prevent further fraudulent activities and maintain the high standards of care that patients deserve.
Reporting fraud also ensures that taxpayer funds are used appropriately and contributes to combating the rising healthcare costs associated with mitigating fraudulent activities. Ultimately, this vigilance helps create a more efficient and trustworthy healthcare system for everyone.
How To Report Fraud with a Whistleblower Attorney
Healthcare fraud is a significant issue that must be reported. Healthcare professionals have a unique opportunity to lead the charge. Armed with legal provisions and protections, whistleblowers can move forward with confidence, knowing that their information will be protected and secure.
If you suspect healthcare fraud is occurring in your place of employment, report it. When you do so, you are making an invaluable contribution to the protection of the healthcare system and the correct use of resources. You may even help prevent other fraudulent activities from occurring in the future.
If you are ready to learn more about your rights as a whistleblower, contact DJO. As a contingency law firm, we don’t get paid unless we win a reward on your behalf in a successful whistleblower lawsuit. Whistleblowers who provide information that leads to successful cases have the potential to earn up to 30% of the funds recovered by the government, sometimes resulting in a reward of several million dollars.
With the help of an accomplished attorney specializing in whistleblower cases, you can face the presenting legal complexities with confidence and be guaranteed protection and reward for your efforts to report fraud.
authored by Christopher J. Piacentile
Director of Investigations DJO Whistleblower Law Group
