Mohammed Ahmad, MD, a physician based in Avon, Ohio, pleaded guilty to submitting fraudulent orders for durable medical equipment as part of a telemedicine scheme that defrauded Medicare, the Justice Department said in a June 10 news release.
What happened?
- Between November 2018 and May 2019, Dr. Ahmad worked as a contractor for Florida-based Lifeline Recruiting, which provided him with pre-filled DME orders for Medicare beneficiaries. Lifeline used call centers to target patients and supplied Ahmad with orders to sign without ever conducting exams or tests on the patients himself.
- Dr. Ahmad’s actions led to approximately $267,402 in false Medicare claims, of which $126,643 was paid. The fraudulent claims involved orthotic braces and other DME items.
- Dr. Ahmad pleaded guilty to making false healthcare statements and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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