By Jeremy Pelofsky
WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) – U.S. authorities have charged
107 people including doctors and nurses for trying to defraud
the federal Medicare healthcare program for the elderly and
disabled of about $452 million, the Obama administration said on
Wednesday.
At least 75 people in Miami, Houston and Baton Rouge were
charged during the last two days for submitting false billing
for home health care, mental health services, HIV infusions and
physical therapy, among other charges.
President Barack Obama’s administration has been pushing to
squeeze out fraud from federal programs like Medicare as part of
a broader attempt to stem soaring healthcare costs, arguing
fraud can contribute to rising prices for services.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said
that Obama’s landmark healthcare law has helped authorities
further root out fraud, a law that is being challenged by
Republicans and 26 out of the 50 U.S. states.
“Today’s actions are another example of how the Affordable
Care Act is helping the Obama administration fight fraud and
strengthen the Medicare program,” Sebelius said.
In Baton Rouge, seven people were arrested and charged with
eight counts including conspiracy and healthcare fraud for
billing Medicare for some $225.6 million in unnecessary services
and in some cases not providing services billed.
They ran and worked at two community mental health centers
in Louisiana where they billed for more group therapy sessions
than were provided, including recreational and education
psychotherapy, according to court records.
Medicare paid out more than $37.9 million for the services
to the two centers in Baton Rouge, identified as Shifa Community
Mental Health Center and Serenity Center, according to the court
records.
U.S. prosecutors sought to have two of the owners of the
centers, Hoor Naz Jafri and Roslyn Dogan, held without bond
pending trial. They accused Dogan of stealing evidence from the
prosecutors’ office to obstruct the investigation, according to
a detention memo.
Four others who worked as therapists at the centers pleaded
guilty last month to one count of conspiracy to commit
healthcare fraud for purporting to provide group therapy and
document patients’ attendance, the court documents said.
