Vermont § 143 - General penalty

§ 143. General penalty

• (a) A person who knowingly violates a provision of this title for which no penalty is
  specifically provided shall: (1) if the assistance or benefits obtained pursuant to a single fraudulent scheme or a
  course of conduct are in violation of subsection 141(a) or (b) of this title involving
  $1,000.00 or less, be fined not more than the amount of assistance or benefits wrongfully
  obtained or be imprisoned not more than one year, or both; (2) if the assistance or benefits obtained pursuant to a single fraudulent scheme or course
  of conduct are in violation of subsection (a) or (b) of section 141 of this title and involve more than $1,000.00, be fined not more than an amount equal to the assistance
  or benefits wrongfully obtained or be imprisoned not more than three years, or both;
  or (3) if the violation is under subsection (c), (d), or (e) of section 141 of this title, be fined up to $1,000.00 or up to an amount equal to twice the amount of assistance,
  benefits, or payments wrongfully obtained, or be imprisoned for not more than 10 years,
  or both. (b) If the person convicted is receiving assistance, benefits, or payments, the Commissioner
  for Children and Families or the Commissioner of Vermont Health Access may recoup
  the amount of assistance or benefits wrongfully obtained by reducing the assistance,
  benefits, or payments periodically paid to the recipient, as limited by federal law,
  until the amount is fully recovered. (c) If a provider of services is convicted of a violation of subsection 141(d) or (e)
  of this title, the Commissioner of Vermont Health Access shall, within 90 days of
  the conviction, suspend the provider from further participation in the medical assistance
  program administered under Title XIX of the Social Security Act for a period of four
  years. The suspension required by this subsection may be waived by the Secretary of
  Human Services only upon a finding that the recipients served by the convicted provider
  would suffer substantial hardship through a denial of medical services that could
  not reasonably be obtained through another provider. (Added 1967, No. 147, § 1; amended 1977, No. 206 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1999, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2005, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 75; 2009, No. 156 (Adj. Sess.), § I.41; 2021, No. 20, § 275.)