A Clearwater doctor has pleaded guilty to one count of health-care fraud and has agreed to surrender her DEA registration number, her Florida medical license and to a permanent exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid programs, according to the justice department.
The 66-year-old woman violated a Florida law that requires doctors to perform an in-person office visit and examine the patient before prescribing a Schedule II controlled substance, according to the Department of Justice.
The woman owned a pain management clinic on Druid Road East in Clearwater.
From as early as July 2011 through December 2017, she billed Medicare for face-to-face patient visits to prescribe controlled substances like oxycodone, but some of those visits didn’t take place on those dates, according to the Department of Justice. Instead, she filled the prescriptions for patients’ families who came by her office, without examining the patients.
She also submitted at least $51,500 false and fraudulent Medicare claims, according to a department of justice news release.
The case was investigated by the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit.
Being a healthcare professional means you are subject to extensive regulations and civil statutes. If you fail to comply with the current health care regulations, you can expect to be the target of a federal prosecution. Our Tampa Bay Medicare Fraud Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can help you fight allegations of health care fraud, including allegations relating to:
- Medicare fraud
- Medicaid fraud
- Billing fraud
- Kickbacks and Gratuities
- Bribes
- Conflicts of interest
Prosecutors also file charges against health care providers who allegedly lie about the number of patients they treat or the types of services they perform. We are ready and able to defend doctors and other healthcare professionals who find themselves wrapped up in such inquiries.
Call us today at 727-823-0000 or contact us online to speak with us about the health care fraud investigation you may be involved in. Your initial consultation is free of charge.