Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Health Care Fraud

A Gainesville doctor convicted of 162 counts of health care fraud for false billing and using drugs not approved in the United States was sentenced Friday to effectively serve one year in prison and to pay a fine of more than $1.13 million plus restitution.
The doctor, who had practices in Gainesville and Hawthorne, was convicted in May 2016 and sentenced Friday in federal court.
She was ordered to serve one year and one day in prison on each count. The terms will run concurrently. She will also serve three years’ of supervised release and perform 400 hour of community service. In addition to the fine, she was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution.
The woman was indicted in April 2014 on 210 counts of health care fraud and money laundering. She was charged with submitting fraudulent claims for unnecessary tests, buying drugs from outside the U.S. not approved for use here and giving those drugs to patients without their knowledge or consent.
She was convicted of falsely billing Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, in addition to billing insurance companies for counseling, treatment and training procedures that were never performed.
The woman’s Gainesville office was raided by authorities in 2011. In 2013, she closed her practice.
A conviction for health care fraud is devastating. In addition to potential criminal and civil sanctions, charges like these could wreak havoc on professional and personal reputations and there is the very real possibility of losing professional licenses. Any Floridian who suspects that they are under investigation for health care fraud or who has been charged with a related crime should seek the advice of our Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Richard F. Della Fera, Esq. 954.514.9955 as early in the process as possible to start building the most powerful defense possible.
The risks are extremely great in these situations.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

I’m getting pulled over. What do I do?


I'm getting pulled over! Oh Crap! There are blue lights flashing behind you indicating that you need to pull over.  What should you do?  The blue flashing lights are directed at you.  What do you do if you get pulled over by the police? Be calm. Stay in your vehicle.  Above all else, be calm. You should notify someone that you are being pulled over, (preferably a sober friend or parent who can come to the scene if necessary).
You can also record the encounter with a law enforcement officer. Florida law says you can always tape record a law enforcement officer while he or she is in the performance of his/her duty (which I highly recommend for everyone's safety). Most importantly, remember--be calm. Stay in your vehicle. Remember; answer no questions other than your name, date of birth, address, and place of residence. It is also important to note that signing a ticket is not an admission in Florida. The officer who approaches is focused on who and what is in the car but most importantly, everyone's hands.  Keep your hands where the officer can see them at all times, this will work to your advantage. Regardless of the officer's demeanor, you are always respectful, polite and attentive.  You are going to need three things, a driver's license, valid registration, and valid proof of insurance. One of the reasons that the officer asks for these items is compliance. The officer may also be looking for anything that might indicate another crime.  On the compliance side, the officer is going to run your information to see if there is any summons, warrants, or restrictions against you. If you have an active warrant against you, it is imperative that you call an experienced criminal defense attorney. I, fortunately, provide those services. Call Richard F. Della Fera, Esq. 954.514.9955  for an initial consultation today. 
Have your registration and proof of insurance along with your driver's license neatly together, (not all crumpled in a wad of confusion), and hold them outside the window awaiting the presence of the officer.  This will show the officer that you are prepared, squared away and showing compliance. Stay in your vehicle.  Unless you are ordered out of the vehicle, you are safer inside.  Remember, there are other cars out there flying by. While Florida's move over law is a good law, it doesn't matter, for your safety stay in the car. There are a lot of people who get pulled over and arrested in South Florida. Parents teach your children how to handle a traffic stop, roleplay a traffic stop (some police agencies will even sponsor mock traffic stops) and be safe. I hope this has helped anyone who reads what to do in a traffic stop.

Find A Criminal Defense Attorney in Fort Lauderdale Today

If you or someone you know has been arrested or detained by the police, then call Richard F. Della Fera, Esq. 954.514.9955