Do you have information about hospice fraud, but you aren’t sure what to do next? Perhaps you know your employer is providing illegal kickbacks for hospice patient referrals. So, what should you do to report this type of unethical and dangerous activity?

First, you should seek the guidance of an experienced whistleblower attorney. Whistleblower attorneys are critical for numerous reasons. An attorney will meet with you to discuss your potential case and determine what valuable information you may have to present to the federal government. Individuals with knowledge of hospice fraud schemes may qualify to serve as a whistleblower.

An attorney will not only help evaluate your case, the attorney will ensure you are protected against retaliation. Whistleblowers may be rewarded by sharing in a portion of the money recovered for coming forward with evidence about hospice fraud that leads to the investigation and prosecution of these crimes. Whistleblower attorneys will guide the client through this process.

Often with the help of whistleblowers, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed numerous cases against healthcare providers that have committed hospice fraud. In a recent case, the DOJ announced a hospice administrator was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution for his role in a hospice fraud scheme. The administrator was paying illegal kickbacks to patient recruiters for hospice referrals, including for the patients who did not even qualify for hospice care.

Hospice fraud typically occurs because payouts from Medicare for hospice patients are some of the highest reimbursements paid out by Medicare. In this case, the administrator submitted nearly $5 million in fraudulent Medicare claims and his company was paid nearly $3 million from Medicare for unnecessary hospice services.

These hospice fraud schemes are not only unethical, but they are extremely dangerous to patients. Patients who are put on hospice care no longer receive treatment for recovery. Instead, they are given palliative care to ensure they are comfortable in their final days. When companies and individuals choose to put patients’ lives at risk in order to scam money out of Medicare, they need to be held accountable.

Whistleblowers with information about hospice fraud can help stop these schemes and protect the vulnerable patients who are often innocent victims. If you have evidence of hospice fraud, you should contact an experienced whistleblower attorney and bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government. Remember, whistleblowers can share in a portion of the money recovered for stepping up and doing what’s right.

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With more than 30 years of experience, the attorneys on Baron & Budd’s whistleblower representation team have represented dozens of clients in government fraud cases returning over $5.4 billion to federal and state agencies, with whistleblower recovery shares as high as 49%. They are ready to help if you feel you have the evidence needed to file a whistleblower complaint.

Please call (866) 845-2164 or complete our contact form if you would like more information. For more information, see What You Need to Know About Becoming a Whistleblower.  Please understand that contacting us does not mean that you have established an attorney-client relationship with Baron & Budd, P.C.