A Pennsylvania clinic executive has been charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud for allegedly billing Medicare for $10 million worth of medically unnecessary urine drug tests.
In a May 11 news release, the Justice Department alleged Florentina Mayko, of Cambria County, Pa., conspired with others to defraud Medicare.
Ms. Mayko became CEO of Pain Medicine of York in January 2018. Prior to leading the clinic, she was director of operations at another medical practice group, which the Justice Department did not identify in the release.
According to the Justice Department, Ms. Mayko was hired to work at the group by an individual identified as "Physician 1," who was imprisoned for healthcare fraud and tax offenses. The operation of the physician's practice group was transferred to Pain Medicine of York, and Ms. Mayko ran day-to-day operations.
In 2016, Physician 1 and the owner of Pain Medicine of York, also not identified in the release, began ordering multiple urine drug tests for each patient, regardless of medical necessity, the Justice Department alleges.
Ms. Mayko and the unnamed owner were aware the practice was illegal but continued billing Medicare for the unnecessary tests until 2019, when a search warrant was executed at the clinic's locations, the Justice Department alleges. The clinic shut down shortly after.
Medicare reimbursed the clinic for $4 million of the $10 million it billed, the Justice Department said.
Ms. Mayko could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.