I'm A Healthcare Provider And Believe I Was Wrongfully Terminated For Refusing To Commit Insurance Fraud. (location: California)

Location: California

I'm a healthcare provider and was fired abruptly yesterday after an argument with my employer. It was an ethical and legal conflict: he wanted me to charge a patient for a procedure that we were unable to perform as we did not have the required material "X" in stock. My boss wanted me to use a different material "Y" entirely that does not qualify for the procedure code he wanted to complete and bill to the patient and their insurance. He wanted me to tell the patient that Y is actually X and charge accordingly (which is also conveniently more expensive).

I refused to do the procedure and charge the patient. Within 30 minutes of the patient arriving for their appointment, I was fired via text and told to leave the clinic in the middle of the day. I believe I was wrongfully terminated for refusing to commit insurance fraud.

I have text and photo evidence of the material he wanted me to use, my refusal to complete the procedure without the proper material, and the text where I was fired. The person in charge of inventory can also confirm that we did not have the proper material in stock that day, as they spoke to the owner to tell him so minutes prior to the appointment.

Later that afternoon, they emailed me confirming my termination and how to receive my final paycheck. They also offered me a severance package of two days of work, which I agreed to in my email response. Rethinking it, I want to pursue legal action for wrongful termination but realize I may have given up my right to do so in accepting the severance package. I was planning on picking up my final paycheck and severance package in person on Monday/have not received any money yet.

I worked for this clinic for about 1.5 years. I never had a written contract, everything was via informal verbal agreement.

The email chain is also very informal; the only thing listed in the terms of the "severance package" is two days of pay. I responded that I will accept the severance package. Is this considered signing the severance package and legally binding, or is it possible to rescind my acceptance, especially since I haven't received any money yet? Can I simply email again to say I am revoking my acceptance? If so, do I have a decent case to pursue legal action for wrongful termination?

Thanks!