Medicaid Fraud In Tampa And How It Can Impact Your Rights To Benefits

Medicaid planning provides a way to protect your assets and preserve any inheritance you wish to leave behind for your beneficiaries. It helps to cover the high costs of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, as well as providing other benefits. However, you must fall within income guidelines in order to be eligible.

Creating a trust can help you qualify for Medicaid benefits. However, within the Medicaid system, fraud is a common problem. Our Tampa Medicaid planning attorney explains how it can happen and the ways it may impact your rights to benefits.

What Is Medicaid Fraud?

As people get older, their medical needs typically increase. They may require more testing, treatment, and follow-up care from their doctor, as well as at-home monitoring, help with basic tasks, and other types of services. Paying for these or the high costs of nursing home care can quickly deplete your life savings. Medicaid offers a solution.

Medicaid is a federal program that provides health care and other benefits to people who are disabled or fall within income guidelines. It covers the high costs of a nursing home or assisted living, along with home-based caregivers and other support services for older adults who wish to age in place.

Unfortunately, the system is a frequent target of fraud. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the most common types include:

• Identity theft;
• Stolen cards used to obtain drugs or medical services;
• Card sharing and allowing others to use your benefits;
• Falsifying documents to obtain Medicaid;
• Not informing Medicaid when your eligibility status changes.

How Tampa Medicaid Fraud Impacts Your Rights To Benefits

Considering the high costs of health care, particularly for older adults, it is easy to understand why Medicaid fraud is so rampant. Medical providers may engage in it as well, in terms of overbilling and submitting claims for services not actually provided.

It is important to be aware that, as a federal program, there are severe penalties for any type of Medicaid fraud. These types of accusations could result in the loss of your benefits, as well as heavy fines and a potential jail sentence.

How can you take advantage of the benefits offered through Medicaid while avoiding the potential for fraud? Our Tampa Medicaid planning attorney offers these tips:

• Do not attempt to hide assets or fail to disclose them to qualify for Medicaid benefits;
• If you are over income guidelines, consider creating a trust;
• Once approved for benefits, do not let others use your card;
• Report a stolen Medicaid card immediately;
• Be aware of what your providers are charging and inform the program of any questionable charges.

Request A Consultation To Discuss Your Options With Our Tampa Medicaid Planning Attorney Today 

Medicaid can help to cover the high costs of medical and long-term care costs for older adults. To discuss the legal options available for obtaining benefits, contact Strategic Counsel Law Group, L.C. Request a consultation with our Tampa Medicaid planning attorney today.

Sources:

medicaid.gov/

cms.gov/medicare-medicaid-coordination/fraud-prevention/medicaid-integrity-education/downloads/infograph-there-are-many-types-medicaid-fraud-%5Bmay-2016%5D.pdf