Relaxed telehealth restrictions is a necessary step to limit potential COVID-19 exposure in physician offices in the emergency period. With this change, unfortunately, the US Justice Department estimates telehealth-related fraud has expanded significantly since early 2020 – approximated at 4.5 billion dollars.

During the pandemic, healthcare claim fraud prevails as new fraud schemes develop and adapt to the changes in healthcare guidelines enacted, so providers can continue to treat patients. Two major areas of FWA expansion during the pandemic include Telehealth and COVID-19-related laboratory testing add-on services.