Bakersfield Insurance Fraud Lawyer
Call (661) 771-3077 for Award-Winning & Trial-Tested Legal Representation
From healthcare and motor vehicles to unemployment and worker’s compensation, there are many forms of insurance available to Californians. However, insurance fraud has become a serious problem in recent years, which is why state and federal law enforcement agencies are cracking down on this type of white-collar crime. A conviction for insurance fraud carries long jail or prison sentences and costly fines worth tens of or hundreds of dollars.
If you have been accused of insurance fraud, our legal team at Campbell Whitten has defended the rights and freedom of many clients facing complex criminal offenses. Our Bakersfield insurance fraud lawyers are members of the National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 and the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, which are legal organizations comprised of the best attorneys in each region in each state. We can investigate your case, collect evidence, and build an effective and personalized defense strategy to either get your charges reduced or your case dismissed altogether.
Do not hesitate to discuss your allegations with our legal team by scheduling a free case review today.
Billing Insurance Fraud in California
While healthcare fraud is one of the most common types of insurance fraud crimes in the United States, the majority of these cases involve illegal or questionable billing of medical services. This offense is often committed by health providers (e.g. doctors, dentists, pharmacies, hospitals, etc.). In order to be convicted of billing insurance fraud, a defendant must have known that their actions were fraudulent and had the intention of defrauding an individual or insurance company.
Common forms of billing insurance fraud include:
- Billing patients for medical services that they never received
- Billing more costly procedures or services, commonly known as “upcoding”
- Performing unnecessary medical services in order to increase insurance payments
- Misrepresenting treatments that are not covered by a patient’s insurance as covered treatments
- Falsifying a patient’s records to justify unnecessary medical treatment
- Billing each step of a procedure as a separate procedure
- Over-billing the insurer but waiving patient deductibles and co-pays
The penalties for this type of healthcare fraud depend on the dollar amount involved in the offense. For example, if the amount of the fraudulent claims is less than $950, it is considered a misdemeanor that carries a maximum six-month jail sentence and a fine not exceeding $1,000. However, if the amount is more than $950, the court could charge the offense as a felony that is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years and a maximum $50,000 fine (or double the amount involved in the crime, whichever is higher).
Schedule a Free Consultation to Learn About Your Legal Options
Unfortunately, making a billing error can lead to criminal charges. But if you didn’t have any intention to defraud and thought the claim was legitimate, Campbell Whitten can help you prove your innocence. However, we can have a thorough understanding of state and federal criminal laws to guide you through the complex legal system while protecting your rights and future.
Call us today at (661) 771-3077 to discuss your case. We service clients in Bakersfield and the surrounding areas.