Federal prescription fraud may occur when you misrepresent yourself to a doctor or pharmacist, doctor shopping, or being dishonest when obtaining controlled substances from a doctor or pharmacist.
Prescription medicines are used by more than 131 million people in the United States, or 66 percent of all adults, according to Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute. While it is absolutely legal to utilize prescription medications properly, obtaining them through fraud or other criminal means can result in felony charges and perhaps prison time.
If you are facing criminal charges for prescription drug fraud, you must take your defense seriously – and quickly. A felony drug conviction can have long-term consequences for you, from job to housing. Furthermore, as a convicted felon, you are barred from voting and possessing firearms. If you are a medical professional, you may face further penalties, such as the loss of your professional license.
Speaking with an expert prescription medication fraud attorney as early as possible in the process assures that your rights are protected — and it may even result in reduced or dismissed charges — so now is the time to take action.
Prescription fraud has been on the rise recently. People are finding new ways to illegally use the market for both personal and monetary benefit, thanks to the relative ease of access to prescription medications. These instances can result in a slew of issues for the accused, as well as protracted and difficult trials. As a result, Anyone involved in a federal prescription fraud case should contact an expert attorney right away. A skilled attorney will be able to build a solid defense to assist you fight your federal prescription fraud case in court.
Federal Prescription Fraud Definition
In the United States, a person can be charged with federal prescription fraud in a variety of ways. There are regulations against physician shopping, which entails hunting for someone who may be a distributor of legal narcotics but does not have the necessary license. These are opioids that require a prescription to obtain. People selling Tylenol with Codeine, Oxycodone, OxyContin, or Percocet on the street are a common occurrence. These medicines, which are related to heroin or have an opiate component, are frequently available without a prescription on the street.
In other circumstances, a doctor may be accused of overprescribing opioids. It could involve a pharmacy falsifying prescriptions or someone manipulating prescription-related papers in order to deceive a government health-care program such as Medicaid or Medicare, or an insurance company into making payments. Prescription fraud can also be defined as the theft of a prescription pad or the fraudulent acquisition of prescription drugs.
Possessing, purchasing, or distributing these substances without the right licensing and prescriptions is prohibited, therefore a person may find himself in a scenario where they are charged with that type of behavior. Additionally, an individual may encounter instances in which counterfeit pharmaceuticals are sold to pharmacies and/or drug wholesalers, despite the fact that they are not approved and have not been made for the medicinal purposes for which they are presented. Those individuals could also face charges of prescription fraud in the United States.
Circumstances
The amount of discretion a prosecutor or law enforcement agency has in deciding whether or not to prosecute an individual for federal fraud is determined by the jurisdiction where the fraud occurs. For one falsified prescription, several countries will prosecute someone. Some states demand a certain number of pills or a certain monetary amount to bring a case to the federal level.
Federal Prescription Fraud Charges on a Regular Basis
Because of the higher expenditures incurred not just by the government, but also by healthcare corporations, hospitals, and doctors, since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2009, there has been increased scrutiny on healthcare procedures in an effort to squeeze out waste, fraud, and abuse. As a result, federal prescription fraud prosecutions are on the rise, and judges are handing down harsh punishments.
In addition, the number of federal healthcare fraud cases has increased recently as investigation methods have grown to include undercover operations, wiretaps, and confidential informants. Healthcare fraud is becoming easier and more widespread as a result of the Internet. It also improves the detection of healthcare fraud. When it comes to prescription fraud, electronic signatures make it easy for someone to copy a doctor’s prescription pad that has one signed prescription on it. Because it is an electronic reproduction of a real signature, it appears to be genuine, which is problematic.
Healthcare Fraud Cases Are Being Prosecuted
The government is serious about prosecuting those who utilize fraudulent funds for nefarious purposes. Healthcare fraud cases are aggressively pursued, and the stakes are usually high. Healthcare fraud also concerns the healthcare system’s integrity as well as the integrity of prosecutors, further complicating the case. When the claim includes a large-scale conspiracy involving a large number of people, it is considered significantly more seriously. If you have been charged with federal prescription fraud, you should contact an expert attorney right once.
Contact Heath Hyde. Call 903.439.0000 for a confidential free consultation. Protect yourself now!
