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Every year, the New York City Bureau of Fraud Investigation sends out thousands of letters asking Medicaid recipients to come in for an "interview" with a fraud investigator. The "interview" request is actually the last stage of a Medicaid fraud investigation that has been going on for several months.
The investigators already know where you work, how much you earn, where you live, who lives with you, whether you own or rent your home, how much your home costs each month, what type of car you drive, and how much you pay for that car. They know if you own a business or rental property and approximately how much revenue those investments generate. If you show up for the "interview," two investigators will meet with you in a small, windowless conference room. They will ask you to turn over your tax returns, bank statements, and other personal and financial records. They will make copies of anything you give them, and then they will question you about the details of your finances. The investigators are not there to help you. They are there to gather evidence and build a case against you. Anything you say can and will be used against you. The investigators will decide what to do with your case. They can demand that you pay back the cost of Medicaid benefits over the past six years -- which can amount to tens of thousands of dollars per year. Or they can refer your case to the City's lawyers, who will sue you for the money. Or they can refer your case to the District Attorney, who will have you arrested and charged with very serious crimes such as Grand Larceny, Welfare Fraud, and Filing False Statements. You do not have to face the investigators alone. In fact, you may not have to face the investigators at all. An experienced Medicaid lawyer can meet with the investigators on your behalf and find out what the problems are. Once your lawyer understands why the investigators are looking into your case, he can advise you on a strategy to avoid serious problems. In some cases, your lawyer may be able to convince the investigators that you have done nothing wrong. In other cases, where you may have made mistakes on your Medicaid application or recertification forms, your lawyer can negotiate a settlement that will avoid any lawsuits or criminal charges. In most cases, the money you save by retaining a lawyer will more than pay for the lawyer's fee. Most Medicaid fraud cases are won (or lost) at the investigation stage. Before you speak to investigators, click here to download our free report, "5 Deadly Mistakes in Medicaid Fraud Investigations." Then call our law offices at (212) 601-2728 to schedule a consultation with an experienced Medicaid fraud defense lawyer. Comments are closed.
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