It is a definite possibility.
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Many whistleblower lawsuits are brought by employees, or former employees, who have inner knowledge of the workings of your practice.
Also, whistleblower suits are often kept under seal and not publicized for years.
In the case of UnitedHealth, the U.S. Justice Department just announced that they joined the lawsuit against the insurer. The lawsuit was filed in 2011 by a whistleblower.
The lawsuit alleges that United Health Group overcharged Medicare by claiming patients were sicker than they actually were. These allegations were brought forth by Benjamin Poehling, a former UnitedHealth executive.
The federal government has also joined lawsuits against WellMed Medical Managment Inc.
How to you prevent your practice from being investigated by the federal government?
Unfortunately, you can’t. So all you can do is make sure you are compliant with all federal laws and regulations.
Ensure that your compliance plan is up to date and active. Make sure that your employees are trained regularly and aware of your compliance and HIPAA policies and procedures.
As whistleblowers are often employees, it is essential that your employees are aware of your compliance with all laws.
Engage your workforce in compliance activities. Perform routine audits to catch upcoding and billing errors.
We help our clients update their risk assessments and stay compliant with all federal regulations.
In our next blog post, we will keep you informed of related issues. To get this important information delivered directly to your mail box, Click here to Subscribe
Do you need help staying current and compliant with the latest laws, rules and regulations? We can help. To contact us about your new government rules and regulations, your practice’s risk assessment, or about your other legal needs: CLICK HERE.
P.S. If you or your patients are interested in consumer healthcare issues, check out myhealthspin.com.
