National Report Upcoding Fraud Day for the year 2024 is celebrated/observed on Monday, August 21st. There are until the next observance.

The 21st of August is National Report Upcoding Fraud Awareness Day. Joel Hesch, a former Justice Department attorney, spearheaded the campaign. Hesch, a strong supporter of whistleblowers, established the day to encourage people to expose healthcare fraud. He wanted to make it simpler so that everyone could complete the procedure correctly. The day raises awareness and provides clear instructions for the general public on how to report unethical healthcare practitioners.

📆 When is National Report Upcoding Fraud Day?

This year, National Report Upcoding Fraud Day is on August 21st. It is the 3rd Monday in August; in 2024, it is on Wednesday.

Countdown to National Report Upcoding Fraud Day

Did you know: The FBI identified a Detroit doctor in 2014 who was recommending severe cancer treatments to people who did not have cancer, some of whom died.

You can also discover all cool things you didn’t know about and facts about August 21, 2023.

📜 History of National Report Upcoding Fraud Day

Hesch even wrote a book and launched a website to make this knowledge more widely available. The resources discuss several types of healthcare fraud and how to report it. Each offense is distinct in terms of its reporting systems and desired outcomes.

Upcoding invoices is one of the most common ways to defraud Medicare. Upcoding is a criminal offense in which healthcare practitioners submit incorrect billing codes to insurance companies. In essence, the provided codes would indicate treatments that never occurred. Medicare and Medicaid both provide compensation based on a code. Hospitals that use the bronchitis code earn a fixed sum regardless of the final payment cost. If they used the code for pneumonia, the amount paid would be more because the treatment expenses for it are higher. Upcoding fraud occurs when healthcare practitioners use higher-paying codes to increase their income.

In his free e-book, Hesch explains how to properly report upcoding fraud. He also spearheaded the effort to establish a nationwide day for reporting healthcare fraud. The purpose is to provide the general public with the information and data they need to collect awards and avoid healthcare fraud.

☑️ National Report Upcoding Fraud Day facts

Inaccurate drug price reporting
Sandoz paid a $12.64 million settlement to Medicare for misrepresenting medicine costs.

Medical scam mastermind
In 2011, a hospital administrator was charged with putting patients in touch with doctors who did unnecessary procedures.

Unnecessary drug tests for kids
A gang of con artists recruited students for a phony after-school program that required drug testing at a lab.

Things to do on National Report Upcoding Fraud Day

Seek legal counsel
Do you have grounds to suspect that someone is conducting healthcare fraud? Gather the information and contact a whistleblower attorney as soon as possible.

Read up on the law
Make yourself familiar with the legislation. Whistleblowing laws vary by state and nature of fraud. Understand them so you may be prepared.

Take a different view
Contrary to popular belief, whistleblowers are not snitches. They placed themselves in considerable personal danger for the sake of the general good. Encourage yourself and others to think positively about whistleblowing.

📅 National Report Upcoding Fraud Day Observances

YEAR DATE DAY
2023 August 21 Monday
2024 August 21 Wednesday
2025 August 21 Thursday
2026 August 21 Friday
2027 August 21 Saturday

Learn all August holidays, including Cause and other American holidays.

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