From 23 Michigan residents being charged in an alleged $61.5 million scheme to the sentencing of a Louisiana clinic owner who billed Medicaid after misdiagnosing children, here are 11 healthcare billing fraud cases Becker's has reported since Jan. 20:
1. Michigan physician accused of issuing unnecessary prescriptions
Sangita Patel, MD, a Troy, Mich.-based physician, was named in a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan alleging that she prescribed drugs that were not medically necessary and billed Medicare for nonexistent telehealth visits.
2. Medical equipment suppliers convicted of $3.8M healthcare fraud scheme
A federal jury convicted the owner and manager of a medical equipment supply company for a scheme to defraud Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans of more than $3.8 million.
3. 23 charged in alleged $61.5M scheme to defraud Medicare through kickbacks, bribes
The Justice Department charged 23 Michigan residents for their alleged involvement in two schemes to defraud Medicare of more than $61.5 million by paying kickbacks and bribes and billing CMS for unnecessary medical services that were not provided.
4. Cardiac monitoring company to settle billing fraud allegations
A cardiac monitoring company has agreed to pay $673,200 to settle allegations that it submitted false claims to federal healthcare programs.
5. Labcorp to pay whistleblowers $19M to settle kickback, false claims lawsuit
Labcorp is settling a $19 million kickback and false claims lawsuit brought by two whistleblowers who alleged the company defrauded government healthcare programs by providing blood draws to providers who were receiving cash kickbacks from one to two other labs named in the suit.
6. 2 Florida providers convicted in $31M Medicare fraud scheme
A Florida chiropractor and surgeon were convicted of a $31 million scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for medically unnecessary medical equipment.
7. Marketer pleads guilty to buying, selling millions of Medicare beneficiary ID numbers
A Florida-based marketer pleaded guilty to buying and selling more than 2.6 million Medicare beneficiary identification numbers and other personal identifying information.
8. North Carolina physician faces prison for reusing single-use devices in more than 1,500 procedures
Anita Jackson, MD, 59, an otolaryngologist who practiced in Raleigh, N.C., faces prison time after being convicted of 20 counts, including adulterating medical devices and fabricating health records.
9. Pharmacy, medical equipment owners indicted in $14.5M billing fraud scheme
Two medical equipment company and pharmacy owners were indicted as part of a $14.5 million Medicare fraud scheme.
10. Chicago pharmacy owner convicted in $25M kickback scheme
A Chicago pharmacy owner was convicted for his role in a $25 million kickback scheme to obtain Medicare and other government payments.
11. Louisiana clinic owner sentenced to 6 years in prison for $1.8M Medicaid fraud scheme
A Louisiana clinic owner has been sentenced to over six years in prison for misdiagnosing children with mental illnesses and fraudulently billing Medicaid upward of $1.8 million.