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Florida Substance Abuse Center Owner Gets 27 Years for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme

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

On May 17, 2017, a Florida man who pled guilty to running a health care fraud scheme out of substance abuse treatment facilities he owned was sentenced to 27 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, handed down the sentence to Kenneth Chatman who pled guilty in March 2017 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of sex trafficking conspiracy.

Chatman admitted making millions of dollars by taking bribes and kickbacks to treat patients, fraudulently billing insurance companies and providing drugs to addicts so they would relapse in order to seek more treatment. His wife, Laura Chatman, was also allegedly in on the fraud scheme.

Details of the Scheme.

According to prosecutors, Chatman bribed owners of other […]

Health Care Fraud Puts Miami Man in Jail

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

4.5 Year Sentence for Role in Fraud.

A Miami Man voluntarily returned to Miami from Cuba and was immediately met with a 4.5-year long prison sentence. Jose Gerardo Gonzalez, played a role in a scheme to defraud public schools and private health care insurers of $126 million.

Gonzalez allegedly created shell companies that submitted false health care claims. The private insurers were ultimately at lose for millions of dollars. Gonzalez fled to Cuba in 2015 after being charged with conspiracy and other charges. Upon voluntary return to Florida he is sentencing was reduced.
William Barzee, Gonzalez’s attorney, states its uncommon for fugitives to return once they flee to Cuba. However, our experience has been just the opposite. In our experience, quite a few individuals flee […]

Florida Government Officer Charged in Billion Dollar Medicare Fraud

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

Health Care Administrator Accepts Bribes.
An alleged $1 billion health care scheme has lead to the first known prosecution against a Florida Agency for Health Care Administration official. Bertha Blanco faces a wide range of charges including accepting bribes to tip off individuals when state wide investigations were to begin.

The Ring Alleged Ring Leader.

It is reported that Blanco oversaw inspections by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration or “AHCA” of Florida nursing homes owned by Phillip Esformes. Blanco was allegedly taking bribes to tip off Esformes of violations reported to the state agency before the investigation (or “survey”) even began. This allegedly allowed Esformes to attempt to fix or remedy the deficiencies that were reported even before the investigation began and to maintain his. Esformes […]

Health Care Software Double-Bills Government For Anesthesia Services According to FCA Suit

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

On November 2, 2017, a relator in a Florida federal False Claims Act (FCA) case, claimed that Epic Systems’ (Epic) health software wrongly defaults to double-billing for anesthesia services. As a result, the government is being overbilled by hundreds of millions of dollars, according to relator Geraldine Petrowski.

The Relator’s Allegations.

In an amended complaint, the relator alleges Epic billing software, used by hundreds of hospitals in the United States, defaults to charging for both the applicable “base units” for anesthesia provided on a procedure, as well as the actual time taken for the procedure. “This unlawful billing protocol has resulted in the presentation of hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent bills for anesthesia services being submitted to Medicare and Medicaid as false claims,” Petrowski said.

The relator […]

Alabama Doctor and 3 Nurse Practitioners Charged With Running Fraudulent Pill Mill

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

On December 6, 2017, three nurse practitioners and a doctor were arrested following an Alabama federal grand jury indictment accusing them of operating a “pill mill.” According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), all four allegedly dispensed controlled substances inappropriately, unlawfully and for non-medical reasons.

The Alleged Pill Mill.

The nurse practitioners and physician allegedly prescribed opioids including fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and hydromorphone on a monthly basis for years, according to the indictment. They then allegedly billed health care providers for related unnecessary patient examinations.

“[The four defendants] did knowingly and intentionally conspire to distribute and dispense and cause to be distributed and dispensed mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of controlled substances by issuing and causing prescriptions for those substances outside the usual course […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:32-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Health Facilities Law Blog|Tags: Board of Medicine attorney, board of pharmacy attorney, DOJ investigation defense attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense counsel, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense lawyer, False Claims Act (FCA) defense attorney, formal and informal administrative hearing defense attorney, formal and informal administrative hearing defense lawyer, formal and informal administrative hearing defense legal counsel, legal representation for allegations of over-prescribing, legal representation for Department of Health investigations, legal representation for over-billing, Legal representation for pain management clinic, legal representation for submitting false claims, legal representation for U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, medical license defense attorney, nursing license defense attorney, pain management clinic defense attorney, reviews of The Health Law Firm, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense attorney, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense lawyer, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense legal counsel, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, The Health Law Firm reviews|Comments Off

Jury Finds Four New Orleans Doctors and Others Guilty for Participation in $13.6 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

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

On May 9, 2017, a federal jury found four New Orleans doctors and two others guilty for their participation in a Medicare fraud scheme. According to prosecutors the defendants netted more than $13.6 million in fraudulent Medicare reimbursements.

Details of the Scheme.

The six defendants worked for or with Abide Home Care Services (Abide) in New Orleans. Federal prosecutors said Abide routinely falsified diagnoses so Medicare reimbursements were inflated. Abide also falsified medical records that supported medically unnecessary home health services, prosecutors said. Abide was owned by Lisa Crinel, who pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme in 2015.

In exchange for their role in the scheme, Abide made monthly payments to the doctors that were falsely characterized as medical consultant or director fees. Abide also […]

Health Care Fraud Puts Miami Man in Jail

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

4.5 Year Sentence for Role in Fraud.

A Miami Man voluntarily returned to Miami from Cuba and was immediately met with a 4.5-year long prison sentence. Jose Gerardo Gonzalez, played a role in a scheme to defraud public schools and private health care insurers of $126 million.

Gonzalez allegedly created shell companies that submitted false health care claims. The private insurers were ultimately at lose for millions of dollars. Gonzalez fled to Cuba in 2015 after being charged with conspiracy and other charges. Upon voluntary return to Florida he is sentencing was reduced.
William Barzee, Gonzalez’s attorney, states its uncommon for fugitives to return once they flee to Cuba. However, our experience has been just the opposite. In our experience, quite a few individuals flee to Cuba, […]

Alabama Doctor and 3 Nurse Practitioners Charged With Running Fraudulent Pill Mill

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

On December 6, 2017, three nurse practitioners and a doctor were arrested following an Alabama federal grand jury indictment accusing them of operating a “pill mill.” According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), all four allegedly dispensed controlled substances inappropriately, unlawfully and for non-medical reasons.

The Alleged Pill Mill.

The nurse practitioners and physician allegedly prescribed opioids including fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and hydromorphone on a monthly basis for years, according to the indictment. They then allegedly billed health care providers for related unnecessary patient examinations.

“[The four defendants] did knowingly and intentionally conspire to distribute and dispense and cause to be distributed and dispensed mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of controlled substances by issuing and causing prescriptions for those substances outside the usual course […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:36-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Nursing Law Blog|Tags: Board of Medicine attorney, board of pharmacy attorney, DOJ investigation defense attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense counsel, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense lawyer, False Claims Act (FCA) defense attorney, formal and informal administrative hearing defense attorney, formal and informal administrative hearing defense lawyer, formal and informal administrative hearing defense legal counsel, legal representation for allegations of over-prescribing, legal representation for Department of Health investigations, legal representation for over-billing, Legal representation for pain management clinic, legal representation for submitting false claims, legal representation for U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, medical license defense attorney, nursing license defense attorney, pain management clinic defense attorney, reviews of The Health Law Firm, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense attorney, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense lawyer, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense legal counsel, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, The Health Law Firm reviews|Comments Off

Alabama Doctor and 3 Nurse Practitioners Charged With Running Fraudulent Pill Mill

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

On December 6, 2017, three nurse practitioners and a doctor were arrested following an Alabama federal grand jury indictment accusing them of operating a “pill mill.” According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), all four allegedly dispensed controlled substances inappropriately, unlawfully and for non-medical reasons.

The Alleged Pill Mill.

The nurse practitioners and physician allegedly prescribed opioids including fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and hydromorphone on a monthly basis for years, according to the indictment. They then allegedly billed health care providers for related unnecessary patient examinations.

“[The four defendants] did knowingly and intentionally conspire to distribute and dispense and cause to be distributed and dispensed mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of controlled substances by issuing and causing prescriptions for those substances outside the usual course […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:42-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Pharmacy Law Blog|Tags: Board of Medicine attorney, board of pharmacy attorney, DOJ investigation defense attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense counsel, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defense lawyer, False Claims Act (FCA) defense attorney, formal and informal administrative hearing defense attorney, formal and informal administrative hearing defense lawyer, formal and informal administrative hearing defense legal counsel, legal representation for allegations of over-prescribing, legal representation for Department of Health investigations, legal representation for over-billing, Legal representation for pain management clinic, legal representation for submitting false claims, legal representation for U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, medical license defense attorney, nursing license defense attorney, pain management clinic defense attorney, reviews of The Health Law Firm, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense attorney, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense lawyer, Show Cause Order (SCO) defense legal counsel, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, The Health Law Firm reviews|Comments Off