Tampa Healthcare Fraud Defense Lawyers

Every year, the federal government prosecutes hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other professionals for healthcare fraud. Some of the people prosecuted made mistakes. Some small number of the doctors charged may have even acted criminally. But the vast majority of professionals charged with healthcare fraud are simply hard working healthcare professionals who get caught up in terrible circumstances. That is where the Tampa healthcare fraud defense lawyer team at Evergreen Attorneys comes in.

The Tampa healthcare fraud defense lawyer team at Evergreen Attorneys defends doctors, nurse practitioners, and other care givers in the face of daunting federal criminal charges all over the country. We stand by our results. We also think it is vital to educate the public on what trends we see in federal healthcare fraud prosecutions across the country.

Every management guru will tell you, if you cannot measure something you cannot improve it. Since the Department of Justice is continuing to persecute physicians and other providers, it is so very important for our clients to be armed with knowledge. If you are facing a federal healthcare fraud investigation in Tampa, contact the healthcare fraud defense lawyers at Evergreen Attorneys today to find hope and a plan to get your life back.

How Many Federal Healthcare Fraud Prosecutions Are There?

According to data published by the United States Sentencing Commission, in fiscal year 2024 there were 395 separate healthcare fraud cases charged in the United States. https://www.ussc.gov/research/quick-facts/health-care-fraud (last visited September 10, 2025). Since the year 2020, there has been an almost 20% increase in healthcare fraud prosecutions in federal courts. The 395 prosecutions for healthcare fraud are actually slightly down from years 2022 and 2023 when prosecutions number 431 and 447 respectively.

Overall, this data set is part of a trend that we see as Tampa healthcare fraud lawyers locally as well. Simply put, healthcare providers are under more scrutiny than ever from the federal government.

Who Was Prosecuted For Healthcare Fraud?

The Sentencing commission provides broad data on the types of people convicted of healthcare fraud. First, the overwhelming majority (67.8% to be exact) of people sentenced for healthcare fraud crimes were men. The average age of a healthcare fraud defendant was 50 years old and most (90%) healthcare fraud defendants had little to zero prior criminal history.

What inferences can we draw from this data? First, that a substantial majority of healthcare fraud defendants are working professionals with no prior criminal background. That makes sense: you would not be able to hold important healthcare licenses (doctor, nurse, etc) if you had a significant criminal history.

Second, that the overwhelming majority of healthcare fraud defendants are men is roughly consistent with the breakdown of gender percentages for physicians in general. For example, according the Association of American Medical Colleges, as of 2022 62% of physicians were male and 38% of physicians were female. While the distribution is slightly skewed towards male for healthcare fraud convictions, it does not appear to be a statistically significant variation.

What Healthcare Fraud Charges Are Filed in Tampa?

In the past year, there have been 19 different cases filed in Tampa by the U.S. Attorney’s healthcare fraud task force. You can find a detailed summary of the charges on our other pages at this link: Tampa White Collar Attorneys.

Needless to say, Tampa healthcare fraud defense lawyers need to be prepared to defend against increasingly complex government allegations. This is one area where it undoubtedly pays off to hire an experienced law firm focusing exclusively on federal white collar defense. Your DUI lawyer, divorce attorney, or even gang case lawyer off the street are simply not equipped to handle Tampa healthcare fraud cases in federal district court. Evergreen Attorneys are ready on day one.

What Is The Average Healthcare Fraud Sentence?

In the past year, the average healthcare fraud sentence in federal court was 27 months according to the United States Sentencing Commission. Of the 395 federal healthcare fraud defendants who were sentenced, 74.7% of those defendants were sentenced to some time in federal prison.

In federal court, one of the most important set of rules in the Sentencing Guidelines. These are a set of rules that federal judges must apply in every single federal criminal sentencing case. A federal judge must first calculate a defendant’s applicable sentencing guideline range at step one of every sentencing. The range is technically only advisory (meaning judges can go up, down, or within the range), but it is the measuring stick for most healthcare fraud sentences.

In 2024, 57% of all healthcare fraud sentences fell within the applicable Guideline Range. The average Guideline minimum sentence was 51 months in prison. 35% of the healthcare fraud defendants sentenced received a substantial assistance reduction. This was typically a large factor in reducing sentences by an average reduction of 69.6% from the starting Guideline range.

The other 43% of sentences were arrived at using variances. This is the catch-all term for reasons a judge may sentence a person outside of the Sentencing Guideline framework. THe average sentence reduction for downward variances was 56.4% less than the starting Guideline range.

Tampa Health Care Fraud Defense Takeaways

Healthcare fraud charges can be filed against good doctors; good nurses; good care giving professionals. Evergreen Attorneys know that these charges put everything on the line: your finances, your license, and your freedom. Most of our clients never imagined they’d be accused of healthcare fraud. They’re doctors and therapists, or people trying to run businesses, not commit a crime. Sometimes, they’re even patients, simply trying to receive proper care.

Federal healthcare fraud charges are federal felonies. These health care fraud (Medicare Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, defrauding the government, defrauding insurance companies) carry significant potential penalties including possibly years in prison.

What have you not heard? 102 defendants who were sentenced to healthcare fraud cases did not go to jail last year. Yes, 25.3% of all healthcare fraud defendants in federal court received a sentence of no prison time whatsoever.

At Evergreen Attorneys, we know what it takes to deliver our clients to the end of the road without ever spending a day behind bars. Health care fraud defense cases are difficult, time consuming, and stressful. The earlier you bring in experienced counsel, the better your chances are of resolving the case. Contact Evergreen Attorneys today for a confidential consultation at (303) 948-1489 or get in touch by email: [email protected].