| Health care coverage in New York these days | | | | that the duty to update financial eligibility |
| costs an arm and a leg. Think you can get a a | | | | information applies immediately upon the change |
| break by applying for Medicaid? That may be so - | | | | occurs. If you are eligible to receive Medicaid and |
| if you financially qualify. On the other hand, if you | | | | before your next re-certification become ineligible, |
| don't think twice before applying because you | | | | you must notify the agency or you will be |
| may be investigated for fraud sooner than you | | | | committing fraud. |
| think. | | | | In most Medicaid fraud investigations, investigators |
| If you have applied for Medicaid in the State of | | | | catch you before you know that you are under |
| New York, particularly in New York City, and | | | | eye at all. They build their file before you hear |
| misrepresented facts regarding your income and | | | | from them. By the time you receive a letter |
| assets on your application, you may become | | | | from an investigative agency asking you to come |
| another target of relentless and massive hunt for | | | | to their office for an "interview" and to bring along |
| fraudsters. The new initiative that started a few | | | | certain documentation, the investigation is |
| years ago across the state has netted thousands | | | | practically completed. |
| of Medicaid recipients who had received Medicaid | | | | If you receive such letter, you should seek legal |
| fraudulently. The number of Medicaid fraud | | | | advice immediately before discussing anything with |
| investigations conducted in the city has increased | | | | investigators. If you go to the interview and |
| substantially. Numerous people were recently | | | | voluntarily submit requested information, you may |
| contacted by New York City Bureau of Fraud | | | | be confessing to having committed a crime and |
| Investigation and other agencies that routinely | | | | any information you provide may be used in |
| investigate New York Medicaid fraud. | | | | criminal prosecution. In New York, some cases of |
| As a benefit recipient, you are obligated not only | | | | willful fraud may be prosecuted as grand larceny |
| to provide truthful disclosure of your financial | | | | and other felony charges. Other legal |
| status when you apply for Medicaid, but also | | | | consequences may include civil law suites, placing |
| inform the program of any changes in your | | | | liens on property, and being barred from the |
| income. Many Medicaid fraud cases that have | | | | program. |
| come to my office involved individual recipients | | | | At the investigative stage of the case, the most |
| who for this or another reason concealed their | | | | optimal resolution is avoiding prosecution and your |
| income and assets. | | | | chances of a favorable outcome increase |
| Many had disclosed a significantly lower income | | | | dramatically if you deal with the investigative |
| then it really was and many used a fictitious | | | | agency early and in the right way, though your |
| address or concealed assets. Obviously, most | | | | attorney. |
| were ineligible to receive Medicaid. Less known is | | | | |