The founder and CEO of Trina Health, a chain of diabetes treatment clinics based in Sacramento, Calif., was sentenced to six months in federal prison and six months of home detention for conspiring to bribe an Alabama legislator, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.
The sentencing came after G. Ford Gilbert, PhD, Trina Health's founder and CEO, pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiring to commit bribery of a state official.
Trina Health opened three clinics in Alabama in 2014 and 2015. Before the third clinic opened, Blue Cross Blue Shield informed Trina officials it would not cover the artificial pancreas treatments provided at the clinics. Dr. Gilbert allegedly developed a scheme to push a bill through the Alabama Legislature in 2016 that would have forced BCBS to cover the treatments, according to the Department of Justice.
Dr. Gilbert paid Micky Ray Hammon, who was the majority leader of the Alabama House of Representatives at that time and formerly part owner of one of the clinics, $2,000 to use his influence to quietly generate support for the bill, according to the Justice Department. The bill did not advance out of committee.
Mr. Hammon pleaded guilty in 2018 to two counts of mail fraud. He served three months in federal prison, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
Ex-Pennsylvania health system COO charged in $1.3M fraud scheme faces new accusations
6 latest healthcare industry lawsuits
Physician says fraudster stole his identity to bilk Medicare