Florida physician pleads guilty in $2.6M Medicare fraud scheme

Former Naples, Fla.-based physician Omar Saleh has pleaded guilty in a $2.6 million fraud scheme, the Naples Daily News reported Jan. 27. 

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Beginning in April 2020, Dr. Saleh participated in a scheme in which he received kickbacks for signing orders for medically unnecessary genetic testing. He is one of 36 defendants across 13 federal jurisdictions, according to the report.  

He was recruited by Palm Beach, Fla.-based Michael Stein to sign the genetic testing orders for patients referred by Panda Conservation Group, a Texas company.

A total of $1.2 billion was fraudulently billed to Medicare over the course of the scheme, which included telemedicine, cancer genetic testing, and durable equipment schemes.

Dr. Saleh was charged in July 2022 and forfeited his medical license to the Florida Board of Medicine in December. He will be sentenced April 20, the report said.

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