Hundreds of Medical Professionals Charged for Health Care Fraud in Nationwide Effort by the DOJ

    DALLAS, TX, July 15, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- If you were involved in the July 13 health care fraud crackdown effort, you need legal assistance immediately. According to Nick Oberheiden, founder and principal of Oberheiden & McMurrey, LLP, "If you've been charged with a health care-related offense, it's imperative you retain legal counsel as quickly as possible. Federal and state governments have been dramatically ramping up their aggressive approach toward medical professionals, and you don't want to be caught without a seasoned legal team on your side. Your livelihood, well-being, and future are at stake."

These comments come on the heels of a sweeping effort by the DOJ on Thursday, July 13. The DOJ brought charges against 412 medical professional in a massive, nationwide effort. The department alleges that these 412 individuals, 115 doctors among them, are collectively responsible for $1.3 billion in false billings.

The investigations were built upon tips from community members and local reporters, as well as computer programs that detect outliers in prescription and distribution rates.

According to the DOJ, the goal was to "aggressively target schemes billing Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE" in cases where medical professionals were billing the government for unnecessary prescriptions or prescriptions that were never actually purchased or distributed.

Beyond the DOJ, other government entities that participated in the effort included the FBI, HHS-OIG, the DEA, DCIS, and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The crackdown amounts to the "largest ever health care fraud enforcement action" for the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, according to federal officials. Just last year, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the DOJ and HHS, brought charges against 301 individuals, involving $900 million in false billings. Since the Medicare Fraud Strike Force's inception in 2007, they have charged over 3,500 defendants for more than $12.5 billion in false billings.

The government has been putting significant funds toward these efforts in an attempt to detect and prosecute fraudulent medical professionals, and to curb the opioid crisis. Of the 412 charged, 120 were charged with opioid-related crimes. According to the CDC, 91 Americans die each day due to overdoses, mostly to heroin and fentanyl. Many see medical professionals as too willing to prescribe opioids, which often lead to heroin or fentanyl addiction.

The aggressive approach federal and state agencies have displayed as of late was clearly present on Thursday. More than 1,000 enforcement agents were involved in the crackdowns, including 30 state Medicaid Fraud Control units.

Beyond the criminal charges, HHS has also initiated suspensions against 295 health care providers.

Contact Information

If you've been charged in the DOJ's health care sting, don't delay in finding experienced health care fraud attorneys to bring on your side.

Oberheiden & McMurrey, LLP is a team of highly skilled attorneys who understand how these cases work in and out. In fact, many of their lawyers have worked for the government in health care fraud cases, and they have extensive trial experience.

Dr. Nick Oberheiden has successfully argued cases before the Department of Defense, the Office of the Inspector General, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. He has focused his practice on health care fraud defense, and has extensive experience representing pharmacies, hospitals, doctors, and other medical professionals.

Bill C. McMurrey served as a trial lawyer for the DOJ, was an Assistant United States Attorney, and was the Chief Coordinator for Criminal Health Care Fraud at the Justice Department in North Texas. With over 30 years of legal experience, much of it in the health care fraud field, Bill is a seasoned litigator with a firm grasp on the issues involved in health care fraud defense, and he's available to discuss the charges against you today.

Lynette S. Byrd has served as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice and is a former Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA). She has worked closely with the CMS, OIG, HHS, and the FBI, and has a deep understanding of how these agencies function internally.

Glenn Harrison also has experience working with the Department of Justice as a Trial Attorney. He was also a federal prosecutor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. During his time with the DOJ, he was involved in a number of health care fraud prosecutions involving HHS, OIG, and the FBI.

If you've been charged with health care fraud, get in touch with Oberheiden & McMurrey, LLP today. You can read more about their health care fraud defense work at Federal-Lawyer.com, or call Dr. Nick Oberheiden directly at (214) 469-9009.

The information contained in this statement does not constitute legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. This information may constitute attorney advertising in some jurisdictions. All website disclaimers apply.

Oberheiden & McMurrey, LLP is a team of highly skilled attorneys who understand how health care cases work in and out. In fact, many of their lawyers have worked for the government in health care fraud cases, and they have extensive trial experience.

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