Apparently, there are a lot of unscrupulous people in Georgia who would seek to defraud the Medicaid system as well as many of the state’s elderly residents. On April 5, 2002, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced the results of lawsuits the state had initiated against the offenders, some of which go back several years. In short, the state was able to recover tens of millions of dollars since 2016.
Georgia’s Medicaid Fraud Division
Attorney General Carr hailed the efforts of the state’s Medicaid Fraud Division for its dedication in protecting the elderly and infirm as well as the state’s taxpayers from fraud and abuse. The agency is tasked with investigating and prosecuting allegations of fraud, abuse and exploitation of elderly and at-risk Georgia residents who are in the care of health care providers. The agency has three primary objectives:
- Investigate any criminal fraud to the Medicaid program
- Investigate the neglect and abuse of patients in facilities that are funded by Medicaid
- Enforce the state’s False Medicaid Claims act, both at the state and federal levels
For its part, the agency has apparently achieved remarkable success in holding offenders accountable and recovering damages. Since 2016, the agency has help recover more than $68 million in civil compensation plus another $17 million in criminal restitution. The report went on to describe various cases Mr. Carr and the agency were involved in and their results.
Medicaid fraud and elder financial abuse are very real and unfortunate threats to Georgia’s aging population. Those who fell victim to an unscrupulous individual through fraud, undue influence or outright abuse should consult with an elder law attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer will advocate strongly for his or her client to hold the responsible parties accountable to help recover the maximum amount of compensation owed.
