The most experienced whistleblower attorneys at Brown, LLC are going to answer the most frequently asked questions in this article. There are many individuals with the knowledge of potential Medicare fraud, who seek answers to these following questions before they take it to government officials.
Whistleblowing has always helped raise alarm on corporate negligence, law-breaking safety issues, and medical malpractice. There are whistleblower laws to protect those who decide to come forward, reporting the institutionalized wrongdoers. In fact, about 42% of corporate fraud is brought to the light through whistleblowing. Why is it that employees are often reluctant to speak out when they witness misconduct within the organization? Is it because people are scared to be labelled the ‘work snitch?’
Reasons why most employees, who are witnessing the misconduct, are reluctant to blow the whistle –
The reports of whistleblowers being dismissed for reporting on office misconducts are pressing. Not so long ago, one airline employee sued her employer for religious discrimination which further brought an action against the airline after the employee accused them of penalizing her for letting her voice be heard. Fortunately, whistleblowers have legal protection. Employees must not be treated unfairly or terminated because they blow the whistle on wrongdoing. However, there are a few important factors that must be taken into account before blowing the whistle. Here they are –
Make sure your case is a valid one
Whistleblowing is only intended for reporting regulatory breaches, offenses, health/safety breaches, and cover-ups. In case you are going to report either of the above, you will get legal protection. Anything else will be dismissed. If you think that it is now too late to report on wrongdoing, understand that you can raise the alarm any time you want, whether the misconduct happened in the past or still happening and you will believe that it will keep happening in the future as well – reporting it right away. Your rights will be protected.
Make sure you are reporting a ‘reportable’ concern
Your employer’s whistleblowing mediums must not be used as a vent to make false reports or air grievances. If you are seeking to complain about any of your colleagues or manager, the pressure of work, or a third party, all these issues are covered by the grievance procedures, which means these concerns are not valid to blow the whistle for. Eventually, whistleblowing law does not cover personal grievances, unless the specific case is in the public interest.
Check for approved channels
Your employer handbook must tell you how you can report any misconduct and to whom. In most cases, your first call will be to your manager, however, you might as well be encouraged to take the matter to the HR, Legal, Senior Management, the Board, or Compliance, using whistleblowing helpline, email, or independent third party. Do not go straight to the Media or put the matter online, because that will only undermine its severity and may also reduce the chance of furthering reporting it to the higher authority in government offices.
Do not forget that you are a witness, and not an investigator
You are not supposed to collect inconclusive evidence of the misconduct. You have been merely an observer and witness, thus do not delay because you need to pick up extra supporting evidence. You might just tip off the wrongdoers and spoil the entire investigation.
You can always escalate the concerns to others if required
If you are not believed and if no action is being taken and if lives are at risk, you can escalate your concerns to the CEO, regulator, the police, and even sometimes to the Media.
Whistleblower law protects you only when your concerns are in the public interest. Consult with the best whistleblower attorney in town, such as Brown, LLC and discuss your situation. They will know better how and/or if you should blow the whistle.
Fighting for Those Who Speak Up and Blow the Whistle on Fraud against Government Healthcare Programs
It is thought that tens of billions of dollars a year or about ten percent of all healthcare spending in the USA results from the submission of false claims to government healthcare programs such as Medicaid and Medicare and each year through the False Claims Act and a skilled whistleblower attorney, billions of dollars are recovered. Whistleblowers improve the system, hold entities accountable, and can receive whistleblower awards up to 30% of the government recovery. With roughly $3 billion a year recovered, that’s close to a billion dollars a year for whistleblowers.
AMLA Create Whistleblower Protection Program with Substantial Award for Blowing the Whistle on Fraud
Whistleblower cases must be based on facts, mere speculation is not enough to file a claim. The best Medicaid whistleblower lawyer at Brown LLC, the top whistleblower law firm, will help protect your rights as a whistleblower and ensure that your case is successful. Ask questions to your counsel if you don’t understand a procedure and follow their expert advice as closely as possible.
How to Report a Suspected Medicare Fraud Anonymously and Increase Your Chances of the Whistleblower
There are many healthcare industry incidents that can be viewed as fraud by law enforcement agencies. All stakeholders, be it patients, medical professionals or contractors, can get involved in fraudulent activities.
