New details have emerged following the largest healthcare fraud investigation in the United States, revealing the shocking truth about the severity and commonality of healthcare fraud in the country.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently wrapped up the largest federal healthcare fraud investigation in United States history. The investigation, which involved over 1,000 officers from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement organizations, charged over 600 people with committing over $2 billion in healthcare fraud.

“Every dollar recovered in this year’s operation represents not just a taxpayer’s hard-earned money, it’s a dollar that can go toward providing healthcare for Americans in need,” stated HHS Secretary Alex Azar.

Healthcare fraud includes schemes and actions which defraud federal healthcare programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE, as well as private insurance companies. Healthcare fraud often involves fraudulently billing for services that were not necessary or that were not performed.

“Health care fraud is a betrayal of vulnerable patients, and often it is theft from the taxpayer,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said of the healthcare fraud investigation. “In many cases, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists take advantage of people suffering from drug addiction in order to line their pockets. These are despicable crimes.”

Although the perception is that healthcare fraud is often committed by a handful of corrupt doctors, fraud is often times committed on an organization level. Some healthcare providers incentivize healthcare fraud and fraudulent billing practices which turn a profit. This widespread practice was found in numerous states across the country as a part of the federal healthcare fraud investigation.

In the Southern District of Florida, 124 defendants were charged with $337 million in healthcare fraud . Charges included healthcare fraud, the conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and money laundering.

“The indictment alleges a scheme that illegally recruited patients, paid kickbacks, and defrauded health care benefit programs for widespread fraudulent urine testing,” the DOJ said.

Numerous agencies across the country were involved with the federal healthcare fraud investigation including: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Center for Program Integrity, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Medicare Fraud Strike Force, and Medicaid Fraud Control Units.

In light of the widespread healthcare fraud discovered in the investigation, the Department of Justice is allegedly hiring more prosecutors and expanding its resources so that future investigations can be more effective. However, workers in the healthcare field can also work to prevent fraudulent actions.

If you work in the healthcare field and have witnessed healthcare fraud, you may be eligible to file a whistleblower lawsuit. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can file lawsuits alleging fraud of the federal government. Claimants are eligible for a reward from the compensation recovered by a whistleblower lawsuit, in addition to any damages arising from potential retaliation. If you believe you have grounds to file a whistleblower lawsuit regarding healthcare fraud, or any other defrauding of a federal program, an experienced attorney can review your case.