Healthcare Whistleblowers and Confidentiality Agreements
For many would-be whistleblowers, some reservations may arise due to corporate or legal protections regarding confidentiality. Particularly with healthcare fraud, the law may be violated on the basis of an intentionally false diagnosis. However, the evidence necessary to prove that fraud would break the terms of doctor-patient confidentiality. In order to make these cases easier to pursue, legal protection may be offered to whistleblowers in these situations.
For more information regarding what whistleblowing protection may be offered to you if you have information concerning fraudulent actions, contact the qui tam lawyers of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, by calling 202-973-0900.
Patient Information and the False Claims Act
Of all the types of fraud covered by the False Claims Act, healthcare is unquestionably among the most costly to the federal government. Through state and federal programs, the government can be drained of massive amounts of money each year, having a real impact on the efficiency of Medicare and Medicaid programs. However, industry standards can prevent employees from coming forward when someone commits fraud. The following privacy laws can work against healthcare workers who want to provide important fraud-related information:
- The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
- Employment contracts
- Hospital policy agreements
- Computer privacy laws
- State-specific privacy laws
With so many laws impeding whistleblowing, individuals with sensitive information have to be especially careful before pursuing a qui tam case. However, the False Claims Act and associated qui tam protections do offer a certain level of legal immunity regarding otherwise private information.
Contact Us
The False Claims Act can not only help whistleblowers recover a substantial reward for their information, but also works to reclaim public funds for the federal government. For a free consultation, please contact the qui tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900 today.
