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Home Health Care Fraud
One of the components of home health care fraud would be not providing services when they are needed and still charging the insurance company for those services. The patient signs the proper documents requesting services and allowing the home health company to send someone to the home, but no one shows up to offer the help that is needed. A doctor who does not provide the person’s care will often falsify the documents or sign along with the home health care agency in order to defraud the insurance company. Some doctors will claim that the person is homebound when the person really isn’t and can get out of the house.
A way that many companies commit home health care fraud is by offering money to the person who is homebound or the person who is listed on the documents that are signed. This is a way to keep the person from saying anything to the insurance company about the lack of services given while the insurance company still makes payments to the agency. Physicians and medical workers need to keep in mind that this kind of fraud is illegal and that there is always a possibility of being investigated. It’s always possible that the investigation will lead to charges filed and the agency losing its license. If you have received documents claiming that you have been involved in home health care fraud, it’s important to talk with an attorney who can offer assistance.
One of the defenses that can be used is that you didn’t know that the agency was defrauding patients. You could also submit information against the agency if you know that the fraud was taking place but that you didn’t take part in the actions. If you are asked to take part in this type of fraud, then you should report the incident to an attorney or other proper authorities so that something can be done to stop the activity from taking place. You should also make a report if you know that there are patients who have been approached about giving their insurance information and don’t receive the care that they need after signing the documents that were given to them. Don’t accept any kind of funds or services in exchange for your actions, especially if you were asked not to say anything about home health care fraud that is occurring with other people who work for the company.