Questionable Bills? 5 Ways to Track Down Healthcare Fraud
Hospitals and clinics are supposed to have your best interests at heart. Unfortunately, there are scammers and schemers in every profession, and some of them might be trying to make a quick buck off your medical issues.
Here are five ways to take action if you suspect that you’re a victim of healthcare fraud.
1. Analyze Your Bill
Make sure to through every single item on your bill. Use a search engine to look up terms that you don’t understand, and call the clinic directly if you have questions about medications or procedures.
The first step in stopping healthcare fraud is being able to recognize it, and you can’t do that unless you’re familiar with your bill and all of its charges.
2. Educate Yourself on Common Schemes
There are a number of ways that hospitals can rip you off. For example, they might charge you for services that they never actually rendered, or they might misrepresent prices and providers to squeeze an extra dollar out of insurance companies.
You’ll need to recognize these schemes before you can take action against them, so do your homework on healthcare fraud.
3. Talk to a Lawyer
There isn’t much that you can do on your own, especially if you’re still sick or recovering from the injury that put you in the hospital in the first place. Contact a lawyer and let them take the lead.
They’ll be able to initiate and authorize legal action if they decide that you have a case, and they might even be able to retrieve some of the money that you lost.
4. Know Your Rights
It’s common for big-name companies to throw the little guy under the bus in order to spare themselves. Unfortunately, when it comes to healthcare fraud, that little guy is you.
Don’t let yourself be implicated in fraud or corruption that you knew nothing about, and research things like the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Law to arm yourself against accusations.
5. Get on the Phone
At the end of the day, the best way to track healthcare fraud is to take initiative action against suspicious activity. This means getting on the phone and calling doctors, pharmacists, insurers, creditors, lawyers and anyone else who might be able to shed some light on what’s happening. Don’t be afraid to get involved.
Healthcare fraud is an issue that should be taken very seriously. If you suspect that your bills aren’t “on the level,” take the time to evaluate them and note any discrepancies. A few inquisitions today can save you a lot of headache tomorrow.
Category: Medical Insurance
