Fraud Prevention
Molina Healthcare of Utah seeks to uphold the highest ethical standards for the provision of health care benefits and services to its members, and supports the efforts of federal and state authorities in their enforcement of prohibitions of fraudulent practices by providers or other entities dealing with the provision of health care services.
Definitions
”Abuse” means provider practices that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices, and result in unnecessary cost to the Medicaid program or in reimbursement for services that are not medically necessary or that fail to meet professionally recognized standards for health care. It also includes recipient practices that result in unnecessary cost to the Medicaid program. (42 CFR §455.2)
”Fraud” means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or some other person. It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable Federal or State law. (42 CFR§ 455.2)
Health Care Fraud Is
Health care fraud includes but is not limited to the making of intentional false statements, misrepresentations or deliberate omissions of material facts from, any record, bill, claim or any other form for the purpose of obtaining payment, compensation or reimbursement for health care services.
Examples of Fraud and Abuse
| By a Member | By a Provider |
| Lending an ID card to someone who is not entitled to it. | Billing for services, procedures and/or supplies that have not been actually been rendered. |
| Altering the quantity or number of refills on a prescription. | Providing services to patients that are not medically necessary. |
| Making false statements to receive medical or pharmacy services. | Balancing Billing a Medicaid member for Medicaid covered services. |
| Using someone else’s insurance card. | Double billing or improper coding of medical claims. |
| Including misleading information on or omitting information from an application for health care coverage or intentionally giving incorrect information to receive benefits. | Intentional misrepresentation of manipulating the benefits payable for services, procedures and or supplies, dates on which services and/or treatments were rendered, medical record of service, condition treated or diagnosed, charges or reimbursement, identity of Provider/Practitioner or the recipient of services, ”unbundling” of procedures, non-covered treatments to receive payment ,”upcoding”, and billing for services not provided |
| Pretending to be someone else to receive services. | Concealing patients misuse of Molina Health card. |
| Falsifying claims. | Failure to report a patient’s forgery/alteration of a prescription |
Other Provider Crimes
- Knowingly and willfully solicits or receives payment of kickbacks or bribes in exchange for the referral of Medicare or Medicaid patients.
- A physician knowingly and willfully referring Medicare or Medicaid patients to health care facilities in which or with which the physician has a financial relationship. (The Stark Law)
- Balance billing – asking the patient to pay the difference between the discounted fees, negotiated fees, and the provider’s usual and customary fees.
Federal False Claims Act, 31 USC Section 3279
The False Claims Act is a federal statute that covers fraud involving any federally funded contract or program, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The act establishes liability for any person who knowingly presents or causes to be presented a false or fraudulent claim to the U.S. government for payment.
- Has actual knowledge of falsity of information in the claim;
- Acts in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the information in a claim; or
- Acts in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the information in a claim.
The act does not require proof of a specific intent to defraud the U.S. government. Instead, health care providers can be prosecuted for a wide variety of conduct that leads to the submission of fraudulent claims to the government, such as knowingly making false statements, falsifying records, double-billing for items or services, submitting bills for services never performed or items never furnished or otherwise causing a false claim to be submitted.
Preventing Fraud and Abuse
- Do not give you Molina ID card or number to anyone except your doctor, clinic, hospital or other healthcare provider
- Do not let anyone borrow your Molina ID card.
- Never lend your social security card to anyone.
- When you get a prescription make sure the number of the pills in the bottle matches the number on the label.
- Never change or add information on a prescription.
- If your Molina ID card is lost or stolen, report it to Molina immediately.
Reporting Fraud and Abuse
- Nature of complaint
- The names of individuals and/or entity involved in suspected fraud and/or abuse including address, phone number, Medicaid ID number and any other identifying information.
- TELEPHONE - Call the Molina Healthcare of Utah, Confidential Compliance Hotline:1-866-606-3889
- ONLINE - https://molinahealthcare.AlertLine.com
- E-MAIL - Molina Healthcare of Utah Compliance:MHUcompliance@molinahealthcare.com
- REGULAR MAIL -Write (marked confidential) to:
Molina Healthcare of Utah
Attn: Compliance Officer
7050 Union Park Center, Suite 200
Midvale, UT 84047
- For suspected Provider fraud or abuse, call the Utah Department of Health Medicaid Information Line, ask for Utilization Department: (800) 662-9651
- For suspected Member fraud or abuse, call the Utah Department of Workforce Services Information Fraud Line: (800) 955-2210
- Call the toll-free number of the Office of Inspector General:
(800) 447-8477
For those who do not have access to computers in your home, Internet access are available at your local public library.