Search results for: covid fraud
New York MD Settles COVID Fraud Case
A New York doctor has become the latest to learn that the government is serious about cracking down on those who take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Josef Schenker and two of the urgent care facilities that he owns agreed to pay more than $564,000 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to…
Read MoreGovernment Nabs More Covid Fraud Suspects
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in yet another avenue to perpetuate fraud within the healthcare arena. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced criminal charges had been filed against 21 people in nine federal districts for their alleged participation in various schemes that exploited the pandemic to the tune of $149 million. Cities involved…
Read MoreDOJ Launches Task Force Targeting COVID-19 Relief Fraud
Healthcare has always been ripe for fraud, so it’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic created a wellspring of opportunities for those looking to make money off a tragedy. But getting away with it likely will become a lot harder, thanks to the creation of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. Launched in May by…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Related Fraud Heating Up
Five months into the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of enforcement actions against companies and individuals who have received COVID-19 relief funds continues to grow. In the following case, investigators allege the suspect mixed it up by allegedly violating both anti-kickback laws and committing relief fund fraud. According to the complaint, Carlos Belone of Coconut…
Read MoreOIG Work Plan Updates Target COVID-19 Related Fraud
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) recently released an ambitious update to its Work Plan that includes 16 areas of interest for the government watchdog. The Work Plan is updated monthly and outlines the various projects the OIG intends to focus on in the coming months. The…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Healthcare Fraud: It’s Started
A Georgia woman was arrested earlier this month in connection with a scheme in which she is alleged to have sought to pay and receive illegal kickbacks in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries for expensive cancer screening and COVID-19 tests. Loosened healthcare regulations, including blanket waivers of the federal Anti-kickback Statute (AKS) and physician self-referral…
Read MoreOIG Report: Genetic Tests Pose Risk for Fraud and Abuse
The use of genetic testing to determine the risk of developing certain diseases has taken off in recent years. And while they can help healthcare providers and their patients better understand the potential for future health problems and make informed decisions about their healthcare, their use also opens the door to fraud and abuse. A…
Read MoreDOJ Crackdown Nets Hundreds of Healthcare Fraud Suspects
While there are many benefits to telemedicine, federal investigators also are finding it’s ripe for fraud. And we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg as evidenced by the most recent national fraud enforcement action resulting in charges involving more than $1 billion in losses. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice…
Read MoreFeds Recover $3.1B in FY 2020 Resulting From Healthcare Fraud Investigations
The federal government recouped nearly $3.1 billion last year following investigations into healthcare fraud, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice. The annual report noted that DOJ opened 1,148 new criminal healthcare fraud investigations in 2020, filing criminal charges in 412 cases…
Read MoreCan Healthcare Providers Offer Covid Vaccination Incentives?
It’s estimated that a little more than 42 percent of Americans have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and nearly 52 percent have had at least one dose. That has prompted President Joseph Biden to announce a “National Month of Action,” in an effort to get at least 70 percent of U.S. adults at least partially…
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