Articles Tagged with TRICARE fraud

israel-palacio-463979-copy-300x200With the high number of TRICARE fraud cases in the United States, it is no wonder that healthcare fraud is the second highest priority of focus for the U.S. Department of Justice. The $2.7 trillion healthcare industry is an enticing target for those wanting to commit healthcare fraud, which is defined as purposefully misrepresenting a medical treatment or product in order to receive a higher benefit. In fact, Humana Military has estimated that 7-10% of the $2.7 trillion industry is fraudulent. If you suspect your doctor is committing TRICARE fraud, call an experienced qui tam lawyer at The Brod Law Firm today to learn more about how you can report your case as a whistleblower.

What is TRICARE?

TRICARE is a federal healthcare program, similar to Medicare, for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families. TRICARE provides comprehensive coverage to its beneficiaries, including general health plans, special programs customized for beneficiaries, prescriptions, and dental plans.

freestocks-org-126848-1-copy-300x200In April 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California announced that two physicians pled guilty to participating in a health care fraud scheme against TRICARE, the health care program for U.S. service members and their families. Carl Lindblad, 53, and Susan Vergot, 31, were charged with fraudulently obtaining more than $65 million by unnecessarily prescribing expensive compound medications for patients they did not see in person.

Fraud Related to Compound Medications

Compound medications are specialty medications created when a patient has a specific need that cannot be addressed with a regularly existing prescription. Compound medications are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, yet they typically involve a variation on a previously FDA-approved drug. For instance, a patient may need a specific drug yet be allergic to a dye or one of its ingredients. A patient may require a dosage that a certain drug is not manufactured in. Compound medications are expensive because they must be mixed by a pharmacist in regard to the patient’s needs.

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