Healthcare fraud can occur at many levels. Patients, doctors, other medical professionals and facilities can commit this type of crime.
There is a misunderstanding that healthcare fraud has no victims, but the FBI explains there are many ways this crime harms a variety of people.
Taxes
Healthcare fraud can increase taxes for everyone. When the crime involves Medicaid or Medicare, which are funded by taxpayers, it costs more money to every person who pays taxes. It can eventually lead to increases in taxation because these programs require more funding to pay for the fraudulent claims.
Health insurance
Similar to how fraud impacts federally funded programs, it can impact insurance. Insurance companies will raise rates when their costs increase. Fraud causes costs to go up across the board as well because it robs providers of legitimate payments for services. When costs go up, insurance has to go up as well. So, again, everyone will pay more.
Private impact
The last effect of healthcare fraud is on individuals. In many cases, this type of fraud involves not providing proper care to patients. The patients then suffer. They may have to go through needless procedures or suffer from bad treatment. Sometimes, a person may not get the care they need until it is too late, and the fraud costs them their lives. It can become very serious when a doctor is making up charges or doing things without merit because these things can physically harm their patients or others.
Healthcare fraud is harmful in many ways. While most people will not suffer physical effects from this type of crime, it will eventually cost everyone money.
