Question about Worker Compensation fraud?

My state (California) is clamping down on W.C. fraud. They're gunning for the individual that files false claims and rips off the government for a few thousand dollars. I agree with them.

About three years ago I had a workers comp claim. I pulled a leg muscle (on the job) and was sent to our local E.R. The hospital issued me a pair of crutches and told me to use them for three days. I did.

I recieved a copy of the bill that was to be paid by workers comp and to my shock workers comp was charged almost a thousand dollars for my pulled muscle. No xrays were taken, but the hospital did sell workers comp a pair of crutches for 300 dollars.

My wife was tired of seeing these crutches in the garage and told me to get rid of them, so I called our local hospital supply and she told me I could walk in off the street and buy the same crutches for thirty dolllars.

Wouldn't the government be more efficient to go after the hospitals for the price gouging, than individuals?

Yup. But this is the same government that regularly pays $250 for a hammer for the army supply.

Doctors charge what ever they want....Typically to offset the cost to maintain malpractice insurance which is actually forcing Doctors to go into different lines of work. With all the douche bags filing frivolous lawsuits and suing these hospitals left and right and also the scum of the earth that flood our country and steal hospital services with out ever paying. So think about it, who is the real problem here?

It's lawyers and the masses of immigrants that cant pay their way and are popping out babies like pez dispensers or take Juanito to emergency for a sniffle because they know they will get free service.

The government doesn't pay for it, us tax payers do.

So its not price gouging, its a matter of survival for the hospitals.

I've already been through all this with one of my employees. I had statements attesting to the fact that she was faking WC claims. HR stated that, as long as her doctor states she is hurt, there is nothing that they can do.