A Coral Springs, Fla., man has been convicted for his role in a durable medical equipment kickback scheme, according to a March 10 news release from the Justice Department.
Raheel Naviwala and his co-conspirators allegedly purchased lists of Medicare patients and hired telemarketers to persuade them to order DME. Mr. Naviwala then paid telemedicine physicians to sign pre-filled prescriptions for braces, often without speaking to the patients and regardless of medical necessity.
He then sold the signed prescriptions to DME suppliers, who billed Medicare, TRICARE and other insurers.
Mr. Naviwala was convicted of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, one count of healthcare fraud, conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, and three counts of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute. He was acquitted of two additional healthcare fraud charges.
