Stark Act and Fraud & Abuse Issues-News, Guidance and Analysis
Florida Surgeon, Others Plead Guilty to Involvement in $37M Medicare Fraud Scheme
Fred Dweck, MD, a surgeon from Hollywood, Fla., five nurses and a clinic owner working in the Miami-area have pleaded guilty to their involvement in a $37 million Medicare fraud scheme, according to a South Florida Business Journal report.
Dr. Dweck, who worked at Miami-based Courtesy Medical Group, has pleaded guilty to referring 858 Medicare beneficiaries to home healthcare agencies, including Miami-based Courtesy Medical Group, for medically unnecessary home healthcare services. More than $37 million in false and fraudulent claims were billed to Medicare as a result of the scheme. Medicare paid more than $22 million of those claims, according to the report.
Yudel Cayro, owner and operator of Courtesy Medical Group, also admitted to receiving illegal kickbacks and bribes from patient recruiters and owners and operators of other Miami-area home healthcare agencies. Mr. Cayro pleaded guilty to referring approximately 344 Medicare beneficiaries to those agencies for unnecessary services, which led to more than $16 million in fraudulent billing to Medicare by home healthcare agencies, according to the report.
Five nurses from Miami-area home healthcare agencies ABC Home Health Care and Florida Home Health Care Providers also admitted to falsifying Medicare recipients' patient files to make it appear they qualified for home healthcare and therapy services, according to the report.
Sentencing has been scheduled for December.
Read the South Florida Business Journal report on the $37 million fraud scheme.
Read other coverage on healthcare fraud in Florida:
- Family Practice Physician, Clinic Owner Convicted in $2.3 Detroit-Area Medicare Fraud Scheme
- Florida's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Recovers $400M in Three Years
- Fraud Allegations Against Urgent Care Chain Owned by Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Rick Scott Sent to HHS
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