Gerald Daneshvar, MD, a physician of Chicago-based home visiting service Lake MI Mobile Doctors, was convicted of participating in a $17.1 million Medicare fraud scheme with two other physicians.
Dr. Daneshvar, along with Leonard Van Gelder, MD, and Stephen Mason, MD, conducted unnecessary visits to patients who did not need or qualify for the services they received, and billed Medicare the highest billing codes for the visits, according to the Justice Department.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Blanco of the DOJ's Criminal Division said evidence showed Dr. Daneshvar billed Medicare for home visits comprised of extensive examinations lasting 40 minutes to an hour, when the visits actually averaged about 15 minutes or less, with up to 22 visits completed a day. Mr. Blanco also found Dr. Daneshvar ordered unnecessary tests to receive bonuses.
Following a jury trial, Dr. Daneshvar was convicted May 8 of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. He was acquitted of two counts of healthcare fraud.
Dr. Van Gelder and Dr. Mason each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in March 2017 and December 2016, respectively. Dr. Van Gelder and Dr. Mason said they conducted medically unnecessary visits and billed Medicare using the highest billing codes.