Here are three physician fraud cases Becker’s has reported on in the last month:
1. Niranjan Mittal, MD, a New York City-based cardiologist, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for his role in a healthcare fraud and bribery scheme. Since at least 2016, Dr. Mittal operated a medical clinic in New York City. To bring in new patients, he paid rental payments to other providers for purported leases for office space. Dr. Mittal made the lease payments to induce the other providers to refer patients to his practice. Once patients went to Dr. Mittal’s clinic, they underwent a series of tests that were often not based on the patient’s needs, the Justice Department said.
2. A Saginaw, Mich.-based physician has been charged with 23 counts of Medicare fraud. Between May 31 and Sept. 27, 2024, James Carthron, MD, who operated the now-closed PRN Urgent Care, allegedly billed the Medicaid program 23 times for services that were never provided.The claims in question were submitted as telephone visits. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.
3. An Alabama physician has pleaded guilty to his role in a $6 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment and genetic testing. Between December 2018 and March 2021, Tommie Robinson, MD, worked with telemedicine companies to sign medical documentation, including physicians’ orders, for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and genetic testing. The orders Dr. Robinson signed were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls made to Medicare beneficiaries. He had no contact with the patients and no established medical relationship with them. As a result of his participation, more than $6 million in claims were submitted to Medicare for equipment and testing that were medically unnecessary.
