Who are the defendants in the Medicare fraud case?
Apr 10, 2019 · Two dozen people were charged, including doctors accused of writing bogus prescriptions. Federal agents on Tuesday broke up a billion dollar Medicare scam that peddled unneeded orthopedic braces to hundreds of thousands of seniors. Two dozen people were charged, including doctors accused of writing bogus prescriptions. ...
How much did the telemedicine billing fraud cost Medicare?
Apr 09, 2019 · Feds charge CEOs, doctors in telemarketing scam that targeted Medicare recipients, costing taxpayers nearly $1 billion. ... Federal authorities said Tuesday that they’ve broken up a $1.2-billion Medicare scam that peddled unneeded orthopedic braces to hundreds of thousands of seniors via foreign call centers. Adele on Why New Album Will Serve ...
Who are the three Florida men charged in the telehealth fraud case?
The owner of Guadalupe County telemedicine companies is among 24 people charged in an alleged $1.2 billion Medicare fraud scheme. Christopher O’Hara, 54, of …
What happens to taxpayers when Medicare fraud occurs?
Apr 10, 2019 · by Katherine Skiba, AARP, April 10, 2019. ASSOCIATED PRESS. In what was called one of the largest health care fraud schemes in U.S. history, federal officials on Tuesday announced a crackdown against 24 people charged in cases involving more than $1.2 billion in Medicare losses. Separately, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the …
How many people were charged with Medicare fraud?
In what was called one of the largest health care fraud schemes in U.S. history, federal officials on Tuesday announced a crackdown against 24 people charged in cases involving more than $1.2 billion in Medicare losses.
Do taxpayers pay for Medicare fraud?
All taxpayers pay the price. All taxpayers endure rising insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs when Medicare fraud occurs , and officials said that in these cases the defendants preyed upon the vulnerability of patients seeking relief from medical problems.
How many people are in Medicare?
More than 59 million people are enrolled in Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older and people with disabilities. The defendants, from across the U.S., include three medical professionals, officials from five telemedicine companies and the owners of dozens of durable medical equipment companies.
Does Medicare fraud cause rising premiums?
All taxpayers endure rising insurance premiums and out-of- pocket costs when Medicare fraud occurs, and officials said that in these cases the defendants preyed upon the vulnerability of patients seeking relief from medical problems.
Where are the telemedicine call centers located?
The call centers, located in the Philippines and across Latin America, allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain durable medical-equipment orders for the Medicare patients. The telemedicine companies then allegedly paid physicians to write medically unnecessary orders for the equipment.
Did telemedicine companies pay for DME orders?
The telemedicine companies then allegedly paid physicians to write medically unnecessary DME orders. Finally, the international call center sold the DME orders that it obtained from the telemedicine companies to DME companies, which fraudulently billed Medicare.
What is the FBI hotline for telemedicine?
Any doctors or medical professionals who have been involved with alleged fraudulent telemedicine and DME marketing schemes – including Video Doctor USA, AffordADoc, Web Doctors Plus, Integrated Support Plus and First Care MD – should call to report this conduct to the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Who is Joseph DeCoroso?
In addition, Joseph DeCoroso, M.D., 62, of Toms River, New Jersey, was charged in a $13 million conspiracy to commit health care fraud and separate charges of health care fraud for writing medically unnecessary orders for DME, in many instances without ever speaking to the patients, while working for two telemedicine companies.
What did the international call center pay?
The international call center allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain DME orders for these Medicare beneficiaries. The telemedicine companies then allegedly paid physicians to write medically unnecessary DME orders.