There’s a lot at stake and you only get one shot in whistleblower cases. You want to make it count. That’s why I wrote the book; so people will know what they’re getting into and how best to proceed.
NEW YORK (PRWEB) December 15, 2020
Steven T. Halperin, a New York, NY attorney who is a nationally recognized authority on whistleblower litigation, has launched an informative e-book detailing the process of exposing healthcare fraud and claiming a reward.
Entitled The Medicare Whistleblower - Ten Step Guide to Reporting Healthcare Fraud & Earning a Reward https://www.uswhistleblowerlawyer.com/medicare-whistleblower-book/, Halperin’s e-book, available as a free download, explains how workers in the healthcare industry can come forward anonymously, expose illegal activity that puts patients at risk or cheats Medicare, Medicaid, or TRICARE and claim what can be a sizeable reward.
Halperin, whose whistleblower law firm https://www.uswhistleblowerlawyer.com in New York City and allied firms has recovered more than $10 billion in recent years with whistleblower rewards in the hundreds of millions, explains the process succinctly, comprehensively, and in everyday language.
The problem of healthcare fraud is immense, and the government is helpless to address the issue without help from brave citizens who are willing to come forward. As Halperin explains, “The government recovered more than $3 billion in losses due to fraud 2019, and fully $2.6 billion of that was healthcare fraud targeting programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE.”
A federal law, the False Claims Act, allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to file lawsuits on behalf of the government and to share in the amounts recovered. “The rewards can be substantial,” Halperin says. “Anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the government’s recovery.”
“Knowledge and timing are the keys,” Halperin notes. “A potential whistleblower must have unique knowledge of a fraud scheme and must be the first to report it.”
Common fraud schemes New York whistleblowers have exposed include:
- Billing for services never performed
- Ordering unnecessary tests and treatments to drive up patient costs
- Unlawful referral to facilities where the referring provider has a proprietary interest
- Promoting and prescribing medications for unapproved uses
- Paying or accepting kickbacks for medications and diagnostic services
- Billing for brand name drugs when generics have been provided
According to Halperin, “Many of the folks who come forward are pharmaceutical reps who are told to ‘Sell, Sell, Sell’ using unlawful and unscrupulous tactics. But the deadly and illegal kicker is when they’re told to sell drugs for unapproved uses, because now they’re putting vulnerable patients at risk.”
Healthcare fraud, which can also be reported by physicians, nurses, hospital billing professionals and others, also depletes programs designed to assist the elderly, poor, and members of our Armed Forces.
Whistleblowers need not fear coming forward. “Individuals file their Complaints under seal,” Halperin says, “so they are completely anonymous at the outset. And the law protects them from retaliation later.” However, to ensure those protections, and to enhance their chances of a successful case, potential whistleblowers should consult a knowledgeable attorney.
“There’s a lot at stake, and you only get one shot,” Halperin cautions. “You want to make it count. That’s why I wrote the book; so people will know what they’re getting into and how best to proceed.”
Based in Manhattan, HALPERIN BIKEL LLC is a qui tam (False Claims Act whistleblowers) law firm with decades of experience in state and federal qui tam cases. The firm concentrates on helping U.S. and international whistleblowers expose fraud and maximize their cash rewards. In addition to healthcare fraud, the firm manages cases related to government appropriations fraud, defense contractor fraud, and securities fraud.
Healthcare industry workers who wish to report fraud against the state or federal government can first speak to an experienced attorney at Halperin Bikel confidentially and at no cost at (929) 290-1266.
Media Inquiries: Halperin Bikel is represented by Elite Lawyer Management https://www.elitelawyermanagement.com