107 People Charged in Medicare Fraud
107 people - doctors, nurses, social workers, health care company owners - have been charged for their involvement in shady Medicare schemes involving $452 million in false-bills, US Justice Department announced on Wednesday.
"Today's arrests send a strong message to criminals that the consequences of committing Medicare fraud are serious," Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary said in a statement.
In one of the indictments, Funderburg Clinical and Community Services, Controller Sayani Edwards and office Manager Angel Williams have been charged with billing Medicare using information from licensed social workers for treatments that were not needed or for treatments that were not given, according to Detroit Free Press.
Fraudulent claims worth $225 million were submitted to Medicare in Baton Rouge by two community health care centers. Seven people who were running these centers have been charged for fraud, according to the statement.
These centers were identified as Shifa Community Mental Health Center and Serenity Center, reported Reuters.
"We are determined to bring to justice those who violate our laws and defraud the Medicare program for personal gain," Eric Holder, U.S. Attorney General said.
"These fraud schemes were committed by people up and down the chain of health care providers -- from doctors, nurses and licensed clinical social workers to office managers and patient recruiters," Breuer said.
Medicare is an attractive target but the people making money by fabricating bills but people must be aware that each false claim carries risk of persecution and a possible prison time, Breuer warned.
“If you don’t believe it, ask Lawrence Duran, the former owner of a mental health care company in Miami, who was sentenced last year to 50 years in prison. Or his two co-owners, each of whom was sentenced to 35 years,” Breuer said in a statement.
Reports say that frauds in Medicare and Medicaid might be anywhere between $20 billion to $100 billion.
In 2011, more than 1,400 people were charged for fraud in healthcare while in 2007, it was around 700, according to Health and Human Services Department. The agency also says that in 2010, more than $4 billion were recovered from Healthcare providers who had submitted fraudulent claims.
Breuer said that the latest indictment was the fourth in healthcare related operations in the last two years.