New York Medicaid Fraud Defense Attorney
New York Health Care Fraud Defense Attorney

Our New York criminal defense firm represents New Yorkers facing Medicaid fraud or Health care fraud criminal charges. Our clients are Medicaid recipients and providers such as doctors, dentists, clinics, nursing home managers, pharmacists, home care providers, and ambullette transportation business owners who have been accused of criminal violation any of the New York Medicaid rules. Joseph Potashnik, the New York Medicaid fraud attorney and the lead lawyer at our office will be happy to review your case with you.

How one may be charged with Medicaid fraud in New York

There are two categories of people who are investigated and prosecuted for Medicaid fraud: benefits recipients and providers.

If you are a recipient, you may be guilty of Medicaid fraud for the following:        

• Providing false information on the Medicaid application (lying or concealing information about income, assets, etc.)
• Altering or forging prescriptions
• Re-selling medicine and products obtained through the program
• Receiving services for which you are not eligible by means of intentional misrepresentation
• Allowing another person to use your Medicaid card to obtain services
• Receiving and using several Medicaid Cards

Medicaid services providers are routinely investigated for the following:

• Billing Medicaid for services that have never been provided
• Filing claims for fake services and medical conditions
• Filing claims for fake and staged car accidents
• Coverage claims for non-existent illnesses
• Filing claims for medical care coverage for staged, fraudulent auto accident injuries
• Illegal fee sharing
• Billing for services provided by unlicensed personnel in violation of Medicaid rules

What to do if you are investigated for Medicaid Fraud in New York

If you are a recipient investigated for Medicaid fraud, chances are you have concealed or misrepresented some information on your Medicaid application. Medicaid eligibility rules are clear and strict. If you have assets or income above a certain level, depending on your family size, you are not eligible to receive Medicaid. The New York City Bureau of Fraud Investigation and other agencies routinely investigate matters related to fraudulent receiving of Medicaid benefits in New York City.

If you receive a letter from an investigative agency asking you to come to their office for an “interview” and to bring along certain documentation, you should seek legal advice immediately before discussing anything with the investigators. If you go to the interview and voluntarily submit requested documents you may be confessing to having committed a crime and your case will be soon sent to the local District Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution.

If you are a provider of Medicaid-sponsored services, you may also receive a letter or a call from an investigating agency requesting an interview or asking you to submit your files to them for examination.  If this happens, call an experienced New York Medicaid fraud attorney right away. 

Lawyers don’t practice medicine and doctors should not be practicing law. If you are under investigation, the “do-it-yourself” approach is wrong. How the case in handled in the investigative stage often determines the outcome, including the likelihood of filing criminal charges against you. That is why a consultation with an attorney is absolutely critical before you discuss anything with the investigators.

You chances of a favorable outcome increase dramatically if you begin you defense in a Medicaid fraud case or health care fraud case early, hopefully before indictment. The government has already invested considerable time and resources in building the case against you. Often, the government agents will seize files and records to obtain evidence. They are ahead of the game and the sooner your defense team gets involved the better your chances. You need an experienced and dedicated legal team of New York Medicaid fraud lawyers to beat the fraud investigators at their own game.

What to expect if criminal charges are filed against you for Medicaid Fraud

Medicaid fraud in New York is actively investigated and prosecuted.  If your case is not settled administratively at the investigative stage, criminal charges are likely to be brought. You may be accused of several felonies including grand larceny, false filing, healthcare fraud, etc. You will pay restitution and fines, be banned from receiving or participating in Medicaid, get a criminal record, and even go to prison.

New York City Medicaid criminal defense attorneys

If you have been accused of Medicaid fraud in NYC, you need the expertise and dedication of our New York City Medicaid fraud attorneys. As soon as you discover that you are under investigation for Medicaid or health care fraud, call our criminal defense attorneys immediately. If you are a health care provider, you have too much to lose if you are convicted of Medicaid fraud, and that includes your professional license.

Joseph Potashnik and his colleagues, all skilled New York Medicaid fraud lawyers, will review your case, investigate circumstances surrounding the accusations, and do all that is possible to either dismiss or reduce the charges or negotiate an acceptable deal.

Contact us today to talk to a New York Medicaid fraud criminal defense lawyer.