Defense of Physicians &
Medical Professionals

Because the stakes are high when physicians and medical professionals are targeted by government investigations, they are best served by engaging qualified counsel immediately. Too often, physicians and medical professionals do not hire competent counsel and are convinced to give statements or documents against their interests and – in doing so – provide ammunition to the government. Mr. Schwab has represented many physicians and medical professionals in a variety of federal, state, and administrative proceedings. He knows the complexities associated with government investigations or lawsuits, focusing on balancing parallel proceedings which affect licenses, credentials, and privileges. He has worked with various health systems, credentialing authorities, and medical boards to obtain favorable results in complex cases. These matters involved many jurisdictions and agencies, including the FBI, DEA, IRS, CMA and HHS as well as state attorneys general and local law enforcement.

His experience in this area includes the following:

  • Health care provider in civil lawsuit involving alleged theft of trade secrets and confidential data
  • Physicians, psychologists, and medical providers in internal investigations and facing potential loss of privileges, credentials, or licenses
  • Physician in False Claims Act investigation related to compensation agreement with laboratory, including settlement of FCA allegations and subsequent licensing and credentialing matters
  • Physician facing IRS investigation and subsequent federal criminal tax charges for failure to pay over employment taxes; sentenced to probation despite $1.1 million tax bill owed to the IRS
  • Doctors, and their staff, under criminal investigations for alleged over-prescribing of opioids and Schedule II drugs by DOJ, FBI, DEA and state Attorneys General
  • Administrator of medical practice in international tax investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division
  • Pharmacy owner in joint FDA-DOJ investigation into alleged health care fraud and violations of federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act, including distribution of misbranded and illegally-imported medication
  • Physician facing federal investigation related to medical necessity of procedures and alleged unbundling of billing codes
  • Manager of medical practice and medical device distributor in investigation by DOJ, FBI, and Secret Service into bankruptcy fraud allegations

Additionally, John is a frequent speaker on subjects affecting physicians and medical professionals, including the following:

  • “Parallel Government Investigations: The Civil Side of a Criminal Investigation,” Allegheny County Bar Association, Federal Court Section (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), January 23, 2020
  • “Health Care Enforcement: Medicine Under The Microscope,” Federal Court Section, Allegheny County Bar Association (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), November 30, 2018
  • “Overcoming the Fear of Prescribing – Defending Your Patient and Practice,” The Pennsylvania Pain Society: Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions (Bedford, Pennsylvania), November 9, 2018
  • “Opioid Enforcement in 2018: DOJ, HHS, DEA, FBI – Who Does What?,” The New York State Pain Society: 2018 Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions (West Harrison, New York), April 28, 2018
  • “Health Care Compliance: Government Enforcement & Opioids,” Health Law SectionAllegheny County Bar Association (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), February 9, 2018
  • “DOJ and DEA Opioid Enforcement in 2018,” The Pennsylvania Pain Society: Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions (Hershey, Pennsylvania), December 10, 2017
  • “Health Care Fraud Enforcement in the Trump Administration,” Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Pittsburgh Chapter (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), October 11, 2017
  • “Parallel Investigations: The ‘Civil’ Side of a Criminal Case,” Federal Criminal Subcommittee, Allegheny County Bar Association (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), February 26, 2013