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California physician sentenced for $1.5M Medicare fraud scheme; smart contact lens keeps an eye on your eyes; parents spending more time and money on children’s sports – Morning Medical Update
Key Takeaways
- Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian was sentenced to 54 months for Medicare fraud, involving false certifications and cash kickbacks, but remains a fugitive.
- A new stretchable contact lens from China enables real-time, wireless monitoring of intraocular pressure and eye movement, potentially transforming glaucoma care.
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California physician sentenced for $1.5M Medicare fraud
Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, a 61-year-old physician from Porter Ranch, California, was sentenced in absentia to 54 months in federal prison for her role in a $1.5 million Medicare fraud scheme. Prosecutors say she falsely certified patients for home health services, pre-signed blank forms later falsified by home health agencies and accepted cash kickbacks. Though she pleaded guilty in 2024, Baltaian failed to appear for sentencing and remains a fugitive. More from the DOJ here.
New smart contact lens keeps an eye on your eyes
A stretchable contact lens developed by researchers in China offers real-time, wireless monitoring of intraocular pressure and eye movement — even while the eyes are shut. Tested in animals and humans, the device could transform glaucoma care and sleep-related eye diagnostics. Published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering, the lens uses capacitive and magnetic sensors to relay data without impairing vision or comfort.
Parents spending more time and money on children’s sports
Moms and dads today are spending far more time and money on their kids’ sports than past generations, especially in highly educated and sports-focused families, according to a new Ohio State study. Surveying 60 years of trends, researchers found sharp rises in parental attendance, financial support and hands-on involvement beginning in the 1980s — a shift driven by cuts to school sports and the growth of a privatized youth sports industry.
