Medicaid/care Fraud: You Are Guilty Until Proven Innocent!
Don’t we have due process in America? Isn’t due process something that our founding fathers thought important, essential even? Due process is in our Constitution.
The Fourteenth (governing state governments) and the Fifth Amendment (governing federal government) state that no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.”
Yet, apparently, if you accept Medicaid or Medicare, due process is thrown out the window. Bye, Felicia!
How is it possible that criminals (burglars, murderers, rapists) are afforded due process but a health care provider who accepts Medicaid/care does not?
Surely, that is not true! Let’s look at some examples.
In Tulsa, a 61-year-old man was arrested for killing his Lebanese neighbor. He pled not guilty. In news articles, the word “allegedly” is rampant. He allegedly killed his neighbor. Authorities believe that he may have killed his neighbor.
And prior to getting his liberty usurped and getting thrown in jail, a trial ensues. Because before we take a person’s liberty away, we want a fair trial. Doesn’t the same go for life and property?
Example A: I recently received a phone call from a health care provider in New Jersey. She ran a pediatric medical daycare. In 2012, it closed its doors when the State of New Jersey accused it of an overpayment of over $12 million and suspended its funds. With its funds suspended, it could no longer pay staff or render services to its clients.
Now, in 2016, MORE THAN FOUR YEARS LATER, she calls to ask advice on a closing statement for an administrative hearing. This tells me (from my amazing Murdoch Mysteries (my daughter’s favorite show) sense of intuition): (1) she was not provided a trial for FOUR YEARS; (2) the state has withheld her money, kept it, and gained interest on it for over FOUR YEARS; (3) in the beginning, she did have an attorney to file an injunction and a declaratory judgment; and (4) in the end, she could not afford such representation (she was filing her closing argument pro se).
Examples B-P: 15 New Mexico behavioral health care agencies. On June 23, 2013, the State of New Mexico accuses 15 behavioral health care agencies of Medicaid fraud, which comprised 87.5% of the behavioral health care in New Mexico. The state immediately suspends all reimbursements and puts most of the companies out of business. Now, MORE THAN THREE YEARS LATER, 11 of the agencies still have not undergone a “Fair Hearing.” Could you imagine the outrage if an alleged criminal were held in jail for THREE YEARS before a trial?
Example Q: Child psychiatrist in rural area is accused of Medicaid fraud. In reality, he is not guilty. The person he hired as his biller is guilty. But the state immediately suspends all reimbursements. This Example has a happy ending. Child psychiatrist hired us and we obtained an injunction, which lifted the suspension. He did not go out of business.
Example R: A man runs a company that provides non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT). One day, the government comes and seizes all his property and freezes all his bank accounts with no notice. They even seize his fiance’s wedding ring. More than TWO YEARS LATER – He has not stood trial. He has not been able to defend himself. He still has no assets. He cannot pay for a legal defense, much less groceries.
Apparently the right to speedy trial and due process only applies to alleged burglars, rapists, and murderers, not physicians and health care providers who render medically necessary services to our most fragile and vulnerable population. Due process??? Bye, Felicia!
What can you, as a health care provider, do if you are accused of fraud and your reimbursements are immediately suspended?
- Prepare. If you accept Medicare/caid, open an account and contribute to it generously. This is your CYA account. It is for your legal defense. And do not be stupid. If you accept Medicaid/care, it is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when.
- Have your attorney on speed dial. And I am not talking about your brother’s best friend from college who practices general trial law and defends DUIs. I am talking about a Medicaid/care litigation expert.
- File an injunction. Suspension of your reimbursements is a death sentence. The two prongs for an injunction are (a) likelihood of success on the merits; and (b) irreparable harm. Losing your company is irreparable harm. Likelihood of success on the merits is on you. If your documents are good – you are good.
Posted on August 24, 2016, in "Single State Agency", Access to Care, Administrative Law Judge, Administrative Remedies, Behavioral health, Credible Allegations of Fraud, Doctors, Due process, Fraud, Health Care Providers and Services, Knicole Emanuel, Legal Remedies for Medicaid Providers, Medicaid, Medicaid Advocate, Medicaid Attorney, Medicaid Fraud, Medicaid Providers, Medicaid Reimbursements, Medicaid Services, NC, NC DHHS, New Jersey Medicaid, North Carolina, OAH, Office of Administrative Hearings, Petitions for Contested Cases and tagged Audit, Behavioral health, Behavioral health Providers, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Division of Medical Assistance, DMA, Due process, Gordon & Rees, GORDON & REES LLP, Health care, Health care provider, Injunctions, Injunctive Relief, Knicole Emanuel, Managed care, Medicaid, Medicaid Attorney; Medicaid Lawyer; Medicare Attorney Medicare Lawyer, Medicaid Audits, Medicaid Fraud, Medicaid Fraud Division, Medicaid recipients, Medicare, Medicare Attorney, Medicare Fraud, Medicare Reimbursements, Mental health, NC DHHS, NC Medicaid, New Jersey Medicaid, New Mexico, New Mexico Behavioral Health Providers, Non-emergency medical transportation, North Carolina, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Pediatric medical daycare, postpayment review; Suspension of Medicaid reimbursements, Preliminary Injunction, Preliminary Injunctions, Preventive Injunction, Suspension of Medicaid Payments, Suspension of Medicare Payments, Suspension of Reimbursements. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Perhaps there should be a #4 in your list of planning….in these times of government overreach a physician or in our case Behavioral Health providers should not keep a case load of more than 25%. That way, when (not if) the government ceases payments, a provider can sustain their business on the other 75%. Lessons learned the hard way in NM. Great article, keep up the good work Knicole.
Thanks, Crystal!!