Licensed professionals run the risk of severe criminal penalties and significant damage to their reputation in the event of a criminal conviction. These individuals must often fight to avoid penalties levied not only by a licensing board but the criminal justice system itself. License suspension, revocation or fines might be possible in addition to incarceration.
Allegations of fraud and other misconduct can vary greatly from field to field. Medical professionals, for example, can face charges related to the following:
- Kickback schemes in which a medical professional or healthcare facility receives anything of value in an effort to influence care. The influence can center on actions such as a referral, the prescription of certain medication or the use of a particular medical device.
- Medically unnecessary services can include various tests, procedures or courses of treatment that are not relevant to the case at hand.
- Improper billing is a term used to describe a situation in which a physician allows a nurse or other staff member to perform a procedure only to ultimately bill the medical care as if it was completed by the doctor.
- Upcoding can include billing for services that were never rendered. Internationally, this might be the most common form of healthcare fraud.
These medical professionals can include doctors, nurses, pediatricians, surgeons, dentists and psychiatrists. They can face strict penalties including fines, citations, mandated rehabilitation, license suspension or license revocation. It is wise to seek the guidance of an experienced defence lawyer who can build a strong, effective, uniquely tailored case.
