Norwegian GP acquitted of gross fraud in Helfo reimbursement dispute

A general practitioner in Norway has been fully acquitted of gross fraud charges related to reimbursement claims submitted to Helfo, the Norwegian Health Economics Administration, Dagbladet reports. The verdict was handed down by Asker and Bærum District Court.

Prosecutors had alleged that the doctor had over several years submitted unlawful reimbursement claims for consultations and patient contact that either had not taken place or did not meet the conditions required for reimbursement.

The court ruled that it had not been proven that the doctor submitted reimbursement claims she was not entitled to, nor that she had acted with intent to obtain unlawful gain.

“This is a complete acquittal. The court has not found it proven that the conditions for fraud have been met,” said Thomas Skjelbred, a lawyer at Elden Advokatfirma, which represented the doctor.

Skjelbred also commented on the personal toll the case had taken on his client. “It has been an enormous burden for my client to face charges of gross fraud over such a long period. Such accusations cause serious harm, both professionally and personally, long before a case is finally decided,” he said.

Dagbladet has recently reported on a number of GPs who have lost their right to reimbursement and received demands for large repayments after Helfo concluded they were not entitled to the reimbursements claimed. In a similar case last December, another GP was acquitted by Oslo District Court. That verdict has been appealed by the state.