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“Largest Healthcare Fraud Crackdown in American History” Busts 165 Medical Professionals
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced June 28, 2018 that federal and state officials had completed its largest ever health care fraud enforcement action. The crackdown involved 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes. These schemes are alleged to include more than $2 billion dollars worth of false billings. Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics.
Thirty (30) state Medicaid Fraud Control Units also participated in today’s arrests. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that from July 2017 to the present, it has excluded 2,700 individuals from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other Federal healthcare programs, which includes 587 providers excluded for conduct related to opioid diversion and abuse.
Indiana was one of these states that participated in the bust. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill said 12 of those investigations involve Hoosiers. Some examples of these individuals include a prestigious Indianapolis chiropractor who is accused of receiving kickbacks for referrals to certain pharmacies. Also, a Central Indiana man who allegedly submitted 42 false claims to Indiana Medicaid for cab rides that never happened. Also, a transportation company near Kokomo that is charged with fraudulently billing Medicaid more than $449,000.