Orange County Medical Insurance Fraud Information, Penal Code Section § 550(a)(5)
If you are a physician practicing in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, or San Bernardino County you need to know about Penal Code Section § 550(a)(5). Penal Code Section § 550(a)(5) makes it a misdemeanor or felony for any physician, nurse, dentist or any other medical or dental professional to knowingly prepare, make, or subscribe any writing with intent to present or use it in support of any false or fraudulent claim to an insurance company. This can include office visits, urine or blood tests, x-rays, body scans and even minor or major medical procedures that were not performed.
When it comes to your professional license, whether you are a licensed physician practicing in Southern California, a licensed dentist or orthodontist practicing in Orange County, a nurse practicing in Los Angeles or a licensed medical professional practicing in the Inland Empire your license may be in jeopardy if you are convicted of medical fraud or insurance fraud.
If you are arrested for Penal Code Section § 550(a)(5) anywhere in Southern California you may face the following:
Depending on the amount of fraud you could be charged with a felony or misdemeanor. If the fraud is over $400.00 it would be a felony and less than $400.00 would be a misdemeanor.
A Misdemeanor would mean you could possibly spend one year in county jail and a fine of $1,000.00. A Felony conviction would subject you to 2, 3, or 5 years in state prison plus a $50,000 fine or double the amount of fraud, whichever is greater.
If you are contacted by the district attorney’s office, California Medical Board, or other licensing agency you need to contact a medical license defense attorney prior to speaking to any investigating agency. Without proper legal representation, you may face permanent disbarment or revocation of your professional license not to mention possible jail/prison time and substantial fines and fees.
