Health Care Fraud in Nursing Homes: Insights from a St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
It is sad to consider that the elderly and frail in our society are among those who are most often exploited. Nursing care facilities and others have been known to take advantage of or abuse these individuals who, to a great degree, are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves. Among common types of exploitation is health care fraud. If you believe your loved one is a victim, a St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyer may be able to help.
A St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Attorney on Why the Elderly Are Targeted
Health care is expensive and many programs are unwieldy. Programs for health care are particularly prone to abuse and fraud. Unfortunately, as a St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyer can tell you, this means that the elderly are often targets. This can be attributed both to the fact that elderly patients tend to rely more on health care, especially government sponsored programs, and because they are more helpless as they fall through ill health and age.
A St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Discusses Types of Health Care Fraud
If you are concerned that your loved one may have fallen victim to health care fraud, it is important to speak with a St. Petersburg nursing home abuse attorney. He will conduct an investigation to determine whether such fraud has been perpetrated and by what means.
As a St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyer will tell you, health care fraud occurs not only in nursing homes by administrators, but also by nurses, physicians, hospitals, hospice facilities and other organizations. Indeed, insurance companies at times take undue advantage in order to commit health care fraud.
Among the types of fraud your St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyer will look for are:
• Medication: A doctor may prescribe too much medication, medication that is not given at all, or that is unnecessarily expensive such as a name brand rather than a generic;
• Facility Conditions: The conditions at the nursing home may be substandard with the money paid to the facility misdirected for personal gain;
• Staff: Staff may not be adequately trained;
• Billing: A doctor or other medical provider may overbill for a service or device. They may also double-bill or bill for services that were not rendered at all; and
• Medicare and Medicaid Fraud.
Contact a St. Petersburg Nursing Home Abuse Attorney for Help
If you believe that a loved one has been victimized by health care fraud, call a St. Petersburg nursing home abuse lawyer today to discuss your case. Call Peter Giroux to arrange a free consultation at (727) 895-5399.