Esformes Reaches Plea Deal in Major Nursing Home Medicare Fraud Scheme

Attorney and Author George F. Indest III HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm

On February 1, 2024, the District Court for the Southern District of Florida announced that Florida nursing home mogul Phillip Esformes had reached a plea deal on pending conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud charges.

Esformes, who then owned more than 30 Miami-area nursing and assisted living facilities, was first charged in July 2016 with what the Department of Justice (DOJ) called a $1 billion, decades-long Medicare fraud and money-laundering scheme. Click here to read the DOJ’s press release. (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-individuals-charged-1-billion-medicare-fraud-and-money-laundering-scheme)

The Fraudulent Health […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:08-04:00April 15, 2024|Mental Health Law Blog|

Esformes Reaches Plea Deal in Major Nursing Home Medicare Fraud Scheme

Attorney and Author George F. Indest III HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm

On February 1, 2024, the District Court for the Southern District of Florida announced that Florida nursing home mogul Phillip Esformes had reached a plea deal on pending conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud charges.

Esformes, who then owned more than 30 Miami-area nursing and assisted living facilities, was first charged in July 2016 with what the Department of Justice (DOJ) called a $1 billion, decades-long Medicare fraud and money-laundering scheme. Click here to read the DOJ’s press release. (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-individuals-charged-1-billion-medicare-fraud-and-money-laundering-scheme)

The Fraudulent Health […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:09-04:00March 25, 2024|Nursing Law Blog|

Esformes Reaches Plea Deal in Major Nursing Home Medicare Fraud Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm

On February 1, 2024, the District Court for the Southern District of Florida announced that Florida nursing home mogul Phillip Esformes had reached a plea deal on pending conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud charges.

Esformes, who then owned more than 30 Miami-area nursing and assisted living facilities, was first charged in July 2016 with what the Department of Justice (DOJ) called a $1 billion, decades-long Medicare fraud and money-laundering scheme. Click here to read the DOJ’s press release. (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-individuals-charged-1-billion-medicare-fraud-and-money-laundering-scheme)

The Fraudulent Health Care Scheme.

The government initially accused The Florida […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:10-04:00March 4, 2024|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Florid Man Strikes Again–Government Asks for Life Sentence for Florida Man in $187M Medicare Fraud Case

George IndestBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm

On August 12, 2023, federal prosecutors recommended a life sentence for the Florida ex-CEO of a laboratory company who had been found guilty of fraudulently billing Medicare over one hundred million dollars. At the December 2022 trial of the Florida man, the jury convicted the Florida Man of all ten counts against him, including health care fraud, payment of kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was ordered to pay $187 million in restitution.

I have to say it. They need to lock up that Florida […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:12-04:00February 8, 2024|Mental Health Law Blog|

Florid Man Strikes Again: Government Asks for Life Sentence for Florida Man in $187M Medicare Fraud Case

George IndestBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm

On August 12, 2023, federal prosecutors recommended a life sentence for the Florida ex-CEO of a laboratory company who had been found guilty of fraudulently billing Medicare over one hundred million dollars. At the December 2022 trial of the Florida man, the jury convicted the Florida Man of all ten counts against him, including health care fraud, payment of kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was ordered to pay $187 million in restitution.

I have to say it. They need to lock up that Florida […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:13-04:00January 18, 2024|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Florid Man Strikes Again–Government Asks for Life Sentence for Florida Man in $187M Medicare Fraud Case

George IndestBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm

On August 12, 2023, federal prosecutors recommended a life sentence for the Florida ex-CEO of a laboratory company who had been found guilty of fraudulently billing Medicare over one hundred million dollars. At the December 2022 trial of the Florida man, the jury convicted the Florida Man of all ten counts against him, including health care fraud, payment of kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was ordered to pay $187 million in restitution.

I have to say it. They need to lock up that Florida […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:15-04:00December 28, 2023|Pharmacy Law Blog|

What Payers Are Considered to Be “Federal Payers” Under the Federal Anti-kickback Statute?

Author Headshot standing with arms crossed in dark suitBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits remuneration in relation to the provision of a “good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be made in whole or in part under a Federal health care program.”  42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b).  The Anti-Kickback Statute goes on to define “federal health care program” as any government-funded plan or program that provides health benefits or any state health care program.  42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(f).  But exactly which payers are considered Federal health care programs?  […]
By |2024-03-14T09:59:21-04:00September 5, 2023|Mental Health Law Blog|

Florida Pediatric Associates Files Suit For Alleged Non-Compliant EHR Program

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 16, 2020, a pediatrics group in Altamonte Springs, Florida, filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against a health care technology company called Greenway Health LLC (Greenway). Altamonte Pediatric Associates PA (Altamonte Pediatrics) says Greenway sold it an electronic health records (EHR) program that did not comply with federal standards and cost them a bundle in federal incentive payments.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

EHR Compliance.

According to the complaint, Greenway’s Intergy electronic health records software failed to comply with the federal government’s Meaningful Use program […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:58-04:00May 29, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Pediatric Group in Florida Claims EHR Program Not Compliant in Suit

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 16, 2020, a pediatrics group in Altamonte Springs, Florida, filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against a health care technology company called Greenway Health LLC (Greenway). Altamonte Pediatric Associates PA (Altamonte Pediatrics) says Greenway sold it an electronic health records (EHR) program that did not comply with federal standards and cost them a bundle in federal incentive payments.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

EHR Compliance.

According to the complaint, Greenway’s Intergy electronic health records software failed to comply with the federal government’s Meaningful Use program […]

By |2024-03-14T09:59:59-04:00May 19, 2020|Health Facilities Law Blog|

3 Sentenced in Florida for $175 Million Drug Compounding Fraud Scheme

11 Indest-2008-8By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On March 24, 2017, three participants were sentenced in Florida federal court, for a scheme that used call centers and kickbacks to generate fake prescriptions for compounding pharmacies. The scheme was able to scam the government and private insurers for $175 million.

U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley, sentenced one of the defendants, Todd Stephens, to ten years. He sentenced Todd Hanson to eight years and one month. He sentenced Christopher Mucha to 30 months in prison. Each defendant also received three years of supervised release (probation) after they are released from prison.

Illegal Enterprise.

Stephens, Hanson […]

By |2024-03-14T10:01:30-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacy Law Blog|
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