The US has charged over 100 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, including some of Indian-origin, for their involvement in Medicare fraud totalling $225 million, in one of the biggest crackdowns on federal healthcare fraud in the country.
The 111 people charged across nine cities are accused of various healthcare fraud-related crimes, including conspiracy to defraud Medicare, criminal false claims, money laundering and aggravated identify theft.
Medicare is a government insurance programme that covers Americans who are 65 and older. About 45 million elderly and disabled Americans are enrolled in taxpayer-funded Medicare plans. Collectively, the doctors, nurses and healthcare company owners falsely billed Medicare more than $225 million.
“With this takedown, we have identified and shut down large-scale fraud schemes operating throughout the country. This is the largest federal healthcare fraud takedown in our nation’s history,” said the Attorney General, Mr Eric Holder, who announced the charges with the Health and Human Services Secretary, Ms Kathleen Sebelius.
More than 700 agents from the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services arrested defendants in Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Louisiana, Miami and Tampa. The agents also executed 16 search warrants across the country in connection with the ongoing investigation.
According to court documents, the defendants participated in schemes to submit claims to Medicare for treatments that were medically unnecessary and often never provided.