What is it called when claims are filed for services that were not rendered?

The act of filing claims for services that were not rendered is categorized as fraud. Fraud involves deceitful practices intended to secure unfair or unlawful gain. In the context of healthcare, submitting claims for services that were never provided is a serious ethical and legal violation, as it constitutes an attempt to obtain reimbursement under false pretenses. This behavior undermines the trust in the healthcare system and can have significant repercussions for both providers and patients.

Misrepresentation, while related, refers more broadly to providing false information or misleading statements and does not specifically necessitate the context of financial gain from submitting false claims. In legal and regulatory frameworks, the distinction is crucial, with fraud being a specific illegal act and misrepresentation being a broader term that does not always imply intent to commit fraud. Therefore, the term that best describes the action of filing claims for nonexistent services is fraud.