DME Fraud Enforcement: Telemarketing & Telemedicine

By: Michael Silverman

The indictments and regulatory activities that took place on April 9th were just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the crackdown on DME fraud, telemarketing and telemedicine operations.

In the weeks and months that have followed ‘Operation Brace Yourself’, healthcare providers (such as DME suppliers and telehealth physicians) and telemarketers allegedly involved in these activities have been subjected to a wide range of penalties from suspension of Medicare billing privileges to civil penalties and/or criminal charges. Here are some of the more serious recent DME, telemarketing and telemedicine related civil and criminal regulatory enforcement actions:Continue reading

DME Regulation: The Government’s CID Powers are not Unlimited

dme regulation

dme regulationBy: Matt Fischer

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently aimed its investigatory efforts under the False Claims Act (FCA) to the durable medical equipment (DME) industry.  One area of DME regulation focus has been on diabetic shoe and insert manufacturers.  In its arsenal of investigative tools, the DOJ has the ability to issue Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs).  However, there are limits to the DOJ’s investigatory powers.  If a CID is received, DME suppliers need to be aware of the limitations placed on the government and what initial steps need to be taken. Continue reading