Medicaid Fraud Attorney
Office: Office of Special Prosecutions, Medicaid Fraud Unit
Location: Anchorage
The Department of Law, Office of Special Prosecutions, is recruiting for a full-time permanent Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) to act as the Unit’s Director. This position is located in Anchorage, Alaska.
Job Description
The MFCU is a federally mandated and funded investigative and prosecutorial unit consisting of three attorneys, six criminal investigators with partial peace officer commissions, a forensic accountant, a paralegal, and a law office assistant. The mission of the Unit is to investigate and prosecute fraud committed by health care providers, health care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacies and other providers that illegally divert Medicaid funds, and/or abuse or neglect residents in Medicaid funded facilities. MFCU attorneys are responsible for supervising health care fraud investigations, criminal, civil and administrative litigation, providing advice to partner agencies, and drafting legislation and regulations. Health care fraud cases involve complex white-collar crime and may be prosecuted through either criminal prosecution or civil litigation. This is a unique opportunity for a talented and experienced attorney to handle high profile multi-million-dollar cases involving health care issues on both the state and national level.
Responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to: the participation as a member of a multidisciplinary team to review and investigate allegations of Medicaid fraud for purposes of criminal prosecution and/or compliance with Alaska’s Medicaid False Claims Act; filing criminal charges and/or civil False Medicaid Claims Actions against providers; contributing to multi-state investigations and litigation of qui tam cases against national providers; and collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal agencies to investigate and litigate criminal and civil Medicaid fraud cases.
The Unit is currently seeking a qualified attorney to act as the Unit’s Director. As the Director, the successful applicant will be responsible for directly supervising the Unit’s two junior assistant attorney generals, forensic accountant, chief investigator and paralegal positions. The Director will also work closely with many other state and federal agencies such as the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the federal Office of Inspector General. This position crafts the overall mission, focus and strategy of the Unit and regularly collaborates with the Attorney General’s Office to develop overall policy.
Anchorage, Alaska is the largest city in Alaska and has a general population of 300,000 year-round residents. It is a very diverse community with excellent schools; numerous cultural institutions such as a symphony, performing arts center and an art museum; a local international airport; great local restaurants; and all the shopping conveniences and other comforts of a modern mid-sized U.S. city. As the northernmost city of the Pacific Northwest, Anchorage shares a robust enthusiasm for locally brewed coffee and beer like its sister cities further south. Anchorage is ideally situated between the Chugach Mountain Range and the Cook Inlet, providing the city with truly remarkable scenery and endless outdoor recreational opportunities. The peak of Denali in the Alaska Range, the highest peak in North America, is visible from the city on clear days, as are several other picturesque peaks from a variety of ranges.
Anchorage has numerous parks and vast greenspace within the city. In the summer, residents enjoy world-class mountain trails for running and hiking; excellent salmon, trout and halibut fishing opportunities; mountain biking options for all skill levels; a variety of rafting possibilities; scenic whale and glacier viewing tours; excellent wildlife viewing and birding options; and exceptional back-country and established campground camping options. There are numerous public use cabins accessible to Alaska residents to use in both summer and winter. In the winter, residents enjoy cross country skiing as well as world-class downhill skiing at the Alyeska Resort one hour south of Anchorage in Girdwood, Alaska. Other popular winter activities include fat-tire biking on hundreds of miles of groomed trails, snowshoeing, back-country skiing and snowboarding, ice fishing and enjoying the ceremonial start of the Last Great Race on Earth, the Iditarod!
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of 7 years of experience working as a criminal prosecutor, a civil litigator, or both. The ideal candidate will be highly self-motivated, creative in thinking about litigation, willing to aggressively charge health care fraud cases, and able to motivate and manage criminal investigators and other lawyers. Prior experience supervising attorneys and other staff members is necessary. Prior experience working directly with criminal investigators during the investigative process and advising them about legal implications involved in the investigative process is highly desired. Candidates should demonstrate familiarity with document-intensive civil and/or criminal investigations and complex litigation generally.
Contact
Individuals who would like more information about this position may contact Assistant Attorney General, John Darnall at john.darnall@alaska.gov.
Benefits & Compensation
State Benefits Package
- Health benefits (including dental and vision), life insurance and voluntary supplemental benefits
- Generous leave accrual
- 12 paid holidays
- A variety of retirement plans
- Potential eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Loan Forgiveness Program.
- 37.5-hour workweek
- Eligibility for part-time teleworking, alternate workweek, or a flex schedule after an initial training period.
Estimated Compensation
The table below gives an estimate of compensation based on a combination of judicial clerking and licensed legal experience. The compensation listed in the table represents the base pay. Several locations around Alaska have geographical pay differences. Upon a job offer, you would receive a firm salary quote based on location of position and qualifying experience. Attorneys are eligible to promote from Attorney 1 through 4 with service and acceptable job performance.
| Attorney level | Experience level | Pay range and step | Base pay* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney 1 | Unlicensed attorney | 18 D or E | $87,282-$90,012 |
| Attorney 2 | Less than two years of licensed experience | 20 C or D | $96,349.50-$99,840 |
| Attorney 3 | More than 2 but less than 4 years of licensed experience | 22 B or C | $106,684.50-$109,960.50 |
| Attorney 4 | More than 4 years | 24 B through F | $121,836-$139,542 |
*Summary of Geographical Pay Rate Differences.
| Location | Base pay + geographical difference |
|---|---|
| Anchorage, Kenai, Palmer, Ketchikan | Base pay / no geo dif |
| Fairbanks | Base pay + 3% |
| Juneau, Sitka | Base pay + 5% |
| Kodiak | Base pay + 11% |
| Nome, Dillingham | Base pay + 37% |
| Bethel, Utqiagvik | Base pay + 50% |
| Kotzebue | Base pay + 60% |
Application Instructions
Candidates must submit:
- A resume that includes a complete history of education and professional work experience.
- At least three professional employment references.
- A professional writing sample.
- A cover letter which includes the position of interest.
Preferably applications may be submitted electronically to:
CriminalLawRecruit@alaska.gov
or via hard copy to:
Department of Law
Criminal Division Central Office
P.O. Box 110300
Juneau, AK 99811-0300
The Department of Law is an equal opportunity employer and complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants needing accommodation to apply may contact the Relay Alaska at (800) 770-8973 or Criminal Division Central Office at (907) 465-3600.
All interested and qualified applicants will be considered, but not every applicant will be interviewed. A preference will be given to applicants with the ability to fluently speak another language that is commonly used in the geographic locations related to this position.
