Medical devices of various kinds are designed to improve the lives of patients with disabilities or other health-related conditions. People rely on pacemakers to keep their hearts beating effectively, and use blood sugar and blood pressure monitors to keep levels of various health parameters within a safe range. Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers pay over $100 billion dollars a year to provide these patients with the devices they need to stay as active as possible and to manage their health conditions. However, sometimes fraudulent charges are made, adding to the expenses of patients who use these devices and to taxpayers and others. If you’ve been accused with this kind of fraud, it’s important to understand when you need a California medical device fraud defense lawyer.
Common Types of Medical Device Fraud
Unfortunately, there are many types of medical device fraud, some of which are quite common. Billing for a medical device that was never given to the patient, billing for a more expensive device than the one that was actually provided for the patient, and failing to report any adverse events that were associated with a medical device are common examples of the type of medical device fraud that occurs.
Even though there are laws to prevent it, illegal kickbacks still occur in which physicians are encouraged to prescribe medical devices for patients when they may not really need them or benefit from them. Government agencies like the CMS, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, are always vigilantly searching for medical device fraud, so it’s possible to be accused of this fraud when you are not guilty of it. An expert medical device fraud defense lawyer can evaluate your case and discover the sources of any misunderstandings.
How to Avoid Being Accused of Medical Device Fraud
The CMS is very active in providing guidance to all physicians, hospitals and other healthcare facilities to help them prevent medical device fraud and related charges. Healthcare practitioners can turn to the CMS for the latest practice standards and legal guidelines. Providing all facility staff with training, education and having an internal monitoring and auditing program are essential components of a medical device fraud prevention program. One person on staff should be a designated contact person for all medical device fraud compliance issues. If a facility or practitioner is accused of fraud, it’s also essential that he or she respond to the accusation in a proactive manner. A medical device fraud attorney can be of great help in doing this.
Call to Schedule a Free Consultation With a Medical Device Fraud Defense Lawyer Today
If you’ve been charged with medical device fraud, call to schedule a free consultation with a medical device fraud defense lawyer today. The legal expert staff at the law offices of John D. Kirby understand medical device fraud cases and will investigate your case to find the facts that will help build an effective defense. Accusations of fraud can hurt your professional reputation, so you will need a true professional on your side. We serve San Diego, La Jolla, Coronado, Carlsbad, La Mesa, Del Mar, San Marcos, Solana Beach and surrounding San Diego County communities. Call us at 619-557-0100 and let us be the legal advocates you need.
