9 Individuals From Florida and Ohio Are Facing Healthcare Fraud Charges
Healthcare fraud has become a hot-button issue in the U.S. lately. Generally speaking, it involves sophisticated schemes to fraud Medicare or Medicaid using various schemes to defraud. A recent news article reports that a Sarasota man is among 9 people from Florida and Ohio who are charged in connection with alleged schemes to defraud public healthcare programs for the elderly and disabled and to obtain controlled substances through fraud.
This case is part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action. It has resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their participation in healthcare fraud and opioid abuse schemes. These schemes are reported to have resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants are accused of defrauding programs entrusted with the care of the elderly to line their own pockets. The government has seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
Analyzing the charges
One Sarasota defendant is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. He is accused of paying and receiving kickbacks in connection with an illegal scheme to pay kickbacks to patient recruiters in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries. The alleged scheme involved the defendant paying marketers on a per-patient basis to recruit Medicare beneficiaries for his medically unnecessary cancer genetic testing (CGx) tests. Medicare disbursed approximately $4.5 million to his company on CGx claims billed for these beneficiaries.
Another Florida resident from Kissimmee was charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in connection with a scheme that fraudulently obtained over $9.3 million in Medicare funds. According to authorities, the defendant was the owner of durable medical equipment (DME) companies and caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare. The defendant offered and paid illegal kickbacks to purported telemedicine companies in exchange for signed doctors’ orders for the medically unnecessary orthotic braces that were ultimately billed to Medicare.
Two Florida women were among the 9 indicted by federal authorities. They were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying illegal health care kickbacks. They also paid illegal healthcare kickbacks to patient recruiters in connection with an alleged scheme to refer Medicare beneficiaries to Prestigious Senior Home Health Care, Inc. and submit false claims totaling over $2 million for home health services. The indictment alleges that the two women conspired to pay patient recruiters on a per-patient basis that Prestigious billed to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $1.3 million in false claims.
Talk to a Tallahassee Health Care Fraud Defense Lawyer Today
If you are one of the growing number of Florida residents charged with healthcare fraud, then you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to help defend yourself from the charges. Call Tallahassee criminal defense lawyer Luke Newman, P.A. today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
news.wgcu.org/section/crime/2024-07-01/sarasota-man-among-nine-from-florida-ohio-facing-charges-in-alleged-health-care-fraud-schemes
