Healthcare Whistleblower Reward

The healthcare industry has been plagued with abuse and fraud for a long time. Both the federal government and private insurers pay out billions of dollars in false claims each year, increasing the cost of care and wasting taxpayer money in the process. In addition to these financial consequences, health and safety can be jeopardized when resources from government healthcare programs are misused and money is not spent on the patients who deserve it.

There are various federal agencies and private companies involved in the healthcare system, providing care to Americans, which means the government does business with a number of contractors and individuals. Whistleblowers who learn of unethical or illegal practices that exist in these relationships could be rewarded. If you have information about someone committing Medicare fraud, waste, or abuse in healthcare, the attorneys of Oberheiden P.C. can help you with the reporting process and seek a reward through the whistleblower reward program for your efforts.

Examples of Healthcare Fraud

Whistleblowers exist in every industry and organization, including those that provide medical and healthcare services to the public. Fraud comes in many forms, with some of the most common examples being:

• Medicare and Medicaid fraud: These agencies spend billions in taxpayer dollars, a great deal of which is wasted due to overbilling, kickbacks, upcoding, and other illegal and unethical activities. Hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, and others who submit false claims can be held liable by private citizens who pursue what are known as qui tam lawsuits. These suits are filed on behalf of the government pursuant to the False Claims Act and can help the government recover funds for which the plaintiff (known as a relator) can claim a percentage of recovered funds through Medicare fraud whistleblower rewards.
• Tricare fraud: Tricare is the program that is primarily responsible for providing health services to the military, veterans, and their family members. Healthcare providers that participate in Tricare must follow strict billing and service rules. When these requirements are not followed, the American taxpayer is forced to pay for inflated and wasteful expenses. These practices may also put patients’ safety and health at risk by reducing the quality of care they receive.
• Department of Labor fraud: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) works with healthcare providers to facilitate care for federal government employees. The DOL’s healthcare program is also subject to billing rules and regulations that are designed to reduce fraud and save money. As with any other healthcare program, billing and contracting abuses cause waste. Anyone who can provide evidence of these practices could claim a healthcare whistleblower reward.
• Healthcare contractors and grants: The federal government contracts with private healthcare companies. Unfortunately, contractors sometimes see this relationship with the government as an opportunity to rip off the taxpaying public. This may come in the form of billing and contract violations which allow the providers to be paid more than they deserve. A related problem exists with healthcare grants. If you are aware of fraud in either situation, let us know.
• Private insurance fraud: Our firm also works with whistleblowers who expose false and fraudulent claims that are filed against private insurance companies. Fraudulently billing insurers violates federal law and raises the cost of insurance for everyone. Evidence of abuse could put an end to these and similar practices and may qualify the whistleblower for a reward.

Rewarding Those Who Blow the Whistle

Because of the sheer amount of abuse that exists in the healthcare and insurance sectors, thousands of qui tam lawsuits and whistleblower cases have been filed against companies and individuals. The government has been able to recover tens of billions of dollars in funds, in addition to criminal fines that have been levied against dishonest parties.

Whistleblowers who turn over information about healthcare fraud to the government may be able to claim up to 30% of the funds that are recovered. Although the specifics of each type of whistleblower claim or lawsuit vary, it is important that the whistleblower follows a few basic requirements to request a reward:

• The whistleblower’s information must be original: If the whistleblower has information that is not already public or known to the government, there is a good chance the information is original. Also, the law rewards those who step forward first, so if someone else with this knowledge reports it before you do then you most likely will not be considered a whistleblower.
• The whistleblower’s information should lead to a successful enforcement action: What this means is that the information must be strong enough to hold the fraudulent party accountable. Whether this is by means of a qui tam lawsuit or another process, the government must be able to use the information to recover funds from the wrongful party.
• The whistleblower must cooperate with the government: The government’s investigators and attorneys expect whistleblowers to be cooperative. They will likely need additional information and assistance to help put an end to the fraud. Our attorneys represent whistleblowers during the entire process and can handle communications with the government.

Put our highly experienced team on your side

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd

Former DOJ Trial Attorney

Partner

Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney

Hon. Kevin McCarthy

55th Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives (ret.)

Government Consultant

Mike Pompeo

Of Counsel

Former U.S. Secretary of State

John W. Sellers

Former Senior DOJ Trial Attorney

Linda Julin McNamara

Federal Appeals Attorney

Nicholas B. Johnson

Former Prosecutor

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (DOJ)

Chris J. Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Michael S. Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (DOD-OIG)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

The Benefits of Hiring a Healthcare Whistleblower Lawyer

Before notifying the government of the information you have concerning healthcare fraud, we recommend that you speak with our legal team. The whistleblower law firm of Oberheiden P.C. can assist with:

• Evaluating the evidence and information you have to determine whether you can become a healthcare whistleblower
• Sending the paperwork and information to the proper government officials
• Representing you in all communications and negotiations with the government
• Managing your privacy rights and handling any instances of workplace retaliation you may experience
• Advocating for the highest possible whistleblower reward based on the value of the information you provide

Contact Our Healthcare Whistleblower Reward Attorneys

We applaud those who have information about healthcare fraud for being courageous enough to step forward and put a stop to it. We also understand what it takes to request a fair reward for becoming a whistleblower. Let the legal team at Oberheiden P.C. handle your claim from start to finish. Call or fill out our online contact form to schedule your confidential consultation with our office today.