A physician assistant from Monroe, N.C., was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in a genetic testing scheme involving $10 million in fraudulent Medicare claims.
Colby Joyner, 36, was also ordered to pay more than $3.6 million in restitution, according to an Oct. 4 Justice Department news release.
Mr. Joyner was sentenced after being found guilty by a federal jury of one count of healthcare fraud and six counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters.
Mr. Joyner submitted the false claims in 2018 and 2019 while working as an independent contractor for a physician staffing and telemedicine company, according to the release. He signed fraudulent prescriptions for medically unnecessary cancer genomic and pharmacogenetic testing for hundreds of North Carolina Medicare beneficiaries. The telemedicine company gave Mr. Joyner pre-populated prescription forms and related records for pre-selected genetic testing patients. Mr. Joyner electronically signed and returned these in exchange for $12 — later raised to $15 — per consultation.
Medicare paid out more than $3.6 million of the fraudulent claims, according to the release.