Physicians among 94 charged with fraud

Doctors and nurses were among the 94 people in five cities charged in July for alleged participation in schemes to collectively submit more than $251 million in false claims to Medicare, according to the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the court documents, the defendants submitted claims to Medicare for treatments that were medically unnecessary and oftentimes, never provided. In many cases, indictments and complaints allege that beneficiaries accepted cash kickbacks in return for allowing providers to submit forms saying they had received the treatments that, in reality, were unnecessary or never provided.

In Miami, 24 defendants were charged for allegedly participating in fraud schemes that led to approximately $103 million in false billings. According to court documents, the charges involve fraudulent billing for HIV infusion services, home healthcare and physical therapy services, durable medical equipment, and pharmaceutical medications.