Which of the following is an example of fraud in medical billing?

Unbundling services that should be billed together is considered an example of fraud in medical billing because it involves separating related procedures into individual claims rather than submitting them as a comprehensive package. This practice can manipulate the billing process to generate higher reimbursement than what would be allowed if the services were billed appropriately as bundled together.

Bundled billing typically reflects a standard procedure where multiple, related services are expected to be packaged into a single claim, which is more efficient and transparent for both providers and payers. When a provider engages in unbundling, it may mislead insurers about the true nature of the services rendered and implies that separate treatments were provided to inflate costs, thereby constituting fraudulent behavior.

In contrast, billing for services that were actually performed, submitting accurate claims, and providing discounts to patients are legitimate practices within the medical billing process, as they reflect honesty in representation of services and maintain compliance with regulations.