Medicare fraud defense attorney | The Health Law Firm Blog

Court Assesses $170 Million in Fines Against Two Texas Ophthalmologists For False Claims

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

On November 18, 2021, the Justice Department announced that two Texas ophthalmologists and their eye clinic must pay millions of dollars in penalties for fraudulently billing Medicare. The penalties were assessed in connection with their evaluation and treatment of glaucoma.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes assessed $170 million in penalties against the ophthalmologists and their eye clinic in Houston, Outreach Diagnostic Clinic.

A Former Employee Blew the Whistle.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the action resulted from a False Claims Act (FCA) or “qui tam” suit. The whistleblower was […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:30-04:00May 12, 2023|Health Facilities Law Blog, In the News|

Dentists, What Should You Do If You Or Your Staff Tests Positive For COVID-19 at Your Practice?

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

You or a member of your staff has a confirmed case of COVID-19. What now? Your primary concern is for the individual affected. However, as a health professional operating a professional practice, you also have a duty to your employees and to your other patients. You have to be concerned about any patients with whom your infected staff might have had contact. These steps and protocols, all from prominent government agencies, are meant to help guide you if you or someone in your practice tests positive for […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:55-04:00September 1, 2020|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Question: What Should You, as a Dentist, Do If You Or One of Your Employees Tests Positive For the COVID-19 Coronavirus?

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

You or a member of your staff has a confirmed case of COVID-19. What now? Your primary concern is for the individual affected. However, as a health professional operating a professional practice, you also have a duty to your employees and to your other patients. You have to be concerned about any patients with whom your infected staff might have had contact. These steps and protocols, all from prominent government agencies, are meant to help guide you if you or someone in your practice tests positive for COVID-19.

Follow these […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00July 28, 2020|Dental Law Blog|

Prosecutors Push to Keep Florida TeleMedicine Suspect in Jail for $424 Million Fraud Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 19, 2020, federal prosecutors in New Jersey federal court pushed to keep a suspect involved in a $424 million telemedicine scheme in jail. Authorities called him an “unrepentant conman” who carried out one of the largest health care fraud schemes in U.S. history and is likely to flee the country if released.

Telehealth Fraud & Illegal Kickbacks.

The defendant, who owns telehealth companies, has been locked up for nearly 11 months since he was charged last year with running an international fraud […]

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

Florida Prosecutors Want Telehealth Suspect to Remain in Jail For $424 Million Fraud Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 19, 2020, federal prosecutors in New Jersey federal court pushed to keep a suspect involved in a $424 million telemedicine scheme in jail. Authorities called him an “unrepentant conman” who carried out one of the largest health care fraud schemes in U.S. history and is likely to flee the country if released.

Telehealth Fraud & Illegal Kickback Scheme.

The defendant, who owns telehealth companies, has been locked up for nearly 11 months since he was charged last year with running an international […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:59-04:00May 8, 2020|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Prosecutors Push To Keep Florida Telehealth Fraud Suspect in Jail for $424 Million Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 19, 2020, federal prosecutors in New Jersey federal court pushed to keep a suspect involved in a $424 million telemedicine scheme in jail. Authorities called him an “unrepentant conman” who carried out one of the largest health care fraud schemes in U.S. history and is likely to flee the country if released.

Fraud and Kickback Telehealth Scheme.

The defendant, who owns telehealth companies, has been locked up for nearly 11 months since he was charged last year with running an international fraud and kickback scam. He allegedly paid doctors […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:02-04:00April 8, 2020|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Telemedicine Company Owners Charged in $56 Million Kickback Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On February 5, 2020, the owners of two telemedicine companies were charged in New Jersey federal court with defrauding Medicare in an alleged $56 million telehealth scheme involving orthotic braces. Some of the fraud alleged to have occurred was through a Florida location. The married co-owners of Advantage Choice Care and Tele Medicare are reported to have used the companies to solicit kickbacks and bribes from patient recruiters, pharmacies, and brace suppliers. The company would then hire providers to order medically unnecessary braces that were billed to Medicare, according to the U.S. Department […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:03-04:00March 6, 2020|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Miami Man to Remain Jailed for Trial in Nation’s Largest Medicare Fraud Case

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

On December 3, 2018, a Florida judge ruled that a Miami businessman who has been jailed for more than two years on $1 billion health care fraud charges, must remain in custody through his trial next year. U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. found no violation of his due process rights and denied Philip Esformes’ motion to dismiss several money laundering charges.

Trial Date is Set.

A February 11, 2019, trial date has been set for one of the nation’s biggest Medicare fraud cases that Esformes allegedly orchestrated through nursing homes and assisted living facilities he owned. […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:17-04:00February 7, 2019|Nursing Law Blog|

Walgreens Agrees to Pay $269 Million to Settle Two FCA Suits

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

On January 22, 2019, Walgreens agreed to pay more than $269 million to settle allegations of False Claims Act (FCA) violations for overbilling of various drugs. The deals are some of the largest pay-outs ever by a retail pharmacy, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Two Settlements.

There were two separate complaints involving Walgreens to settle federal and state lawsuits that accused the pharmacy of overbilling federal healthcare programs. Both were unsealed by U.S. District Court judges in Manhattan, according to […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:18-04:00January 29, 2019|Pharmacy Law Blog|

DOJ Announces $2.8 Billion Recovered Funds From Healthcare Cases in 2018

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

On December 21, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it recovered more than $2.8 billion from False Claims Act (FCA) (also known as “qui tam” or “whistleblower cases”) cases in 2018. Of the $2.8 billion in settlements and judgments that the government obtained during the year through FCA cases, more than $2.5 billion involved health care fraud. These cases included drug and medical device manufacturers, managed care providers, hospitals, pharmacies, hospice organizations, laboratories, and physicians.

Health Care Fraud.

The DOJ’s largest recoveries involving the health care industry in 2018 came from the drug and medical […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:19-04:00January 28, 2019|Health Facilities Law Blog|