Many Louisiana residents celebrated another fun-filled Fourth of July holiday recently, and took the occasion to enjoy the freedoms held by those in our country. These freedoms are cherished by all, yet often times they may be taken for granted until they are threatened. While many people think of this threat coming from overseas conflicts and the like, in reality, many individuals may find the greatest threat from criminal charges that have the potential to take their freedom upon a conviction.
Criminal charges can come in all shapes and sizes. Even those who are not engaging in any nefarious activity may find themselves subject to a criminal investigation.
For instance, individuals can be charged with fraud if the government alleges they obtained improper Medicaid benefits. Often times, these types of charges center on alleged misrepresentations of fact that were made to receive Medicaid benefits. In other cases, the government may allege a person wrongfully transferred Medicaid benefits to someone who was not eligible to receive the benefits, or that a person used a Medicaid Eligibility Card while not authorized to do so.
These charges can result in strict penalties. This includes possible jail time, fines and restitution for the amount of the benefits received.
Accordingly, those facing Medicaid fraud charges should take the matter very seriously. Fortunately, the law places a high burden of proof on the government before a person’s freedoms can be taken away. By mounting a vigorous defense to the charges, individuals can make it difficult for the government to satisfy this high burden, and they can protect their freedom and clear their name.
Source: Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals, “Fraud and Abuse,” Accessed July 4, 2015
