Healthcare Fraud Defense Lawyer in New Jersey

Healthcare Fraud Defense in Princeton, NJ

Healthcare fraud includes marketing ineffective curative products as well as health insurance fraud. You must retain qualified legal representation if you have been charged with defrauding an insurer or government health care program.

Federal prosecutors frequently charge healthcare fraud. Peter Katz has successfully represented numerous people who have faced these charges. I know what an effective defense requires. At the Law Offices of Peter Katz, we offer a free and confidential consultation. Call 609-734-4380 to speak with us.

Healthcare Fraud and Special New York Penalties

In 1996, Congress passed the crime of health care fraud under Title 18 U.S.C. Section 1347. The elements of healthcare fraud are similar to those of mail and wire fraud. Anyone who executes a scheme to defraud any health care benefit program is guilty of health care fraud.

Essentially, anyone who lies or uses deceit to get paid by Medicare, Tricare, Medicaid, or another federal healthcare program is guilty of healthcare fraud. New York has a special unit to investigate and prosecute health care fraud, such as Medicaid fraud. Article 177 of New York’s Penal Law enumerates the crimes related to health care fraud. Some important things to understand about healthcare fraud are:

• Under this law, a health plan covers both public and private health care plans.
• There are different degrees of New York healthcare fraud. Under New York Penal Law Section 177.25, health care fraud in the first degree happens if someone intends to defraud a health plan and then willfully and knowingly provides incomplete or false information with the goal of obtaining reimbursement or payment from a health care plan to which they are not entitled.
• Generally, first-degree fraud involves $1 million that is stolen over the course of one year. The penalties can extend up to a maximum sentence of 25 years.
• Lesser monetary amounts are involved with lesser degrees of health care fraud. For example, healthcare fraud in the second degree involves a stolen sum of up to $50,000 over the course of a year.

Federal health care fraud is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, however, if serious injury results from the offense, it is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and, if death results, it is punishable by life in prison. These charges may be brought against you in concert with wire or mail fraud charges. In instances where a crime has not actually been committed, prosecutors may include conspiracy charges.

In addition to the description above, healthcare fraud charges may be related to kickbacks or prescription fraud.

Start a Discussion About Your Case

If you are facing healthcare fraud charges, we offer a free consultation to discuss the scope of the charges and how we can help. Call 609-734-4380 or email, and we will be in touch. We serve clients facing charges in New York and New Jersey and throughout Mercer County.