Owner of California's Unity Outpatient Surgery Center Convicted in $154M Insurance Fraud Scheme

Molly Gamble -

A California physician has been convicted of performing unnecessary and dangerous surgeries on more than 160 people in a $154 million insurance fraud scheme, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

Michael Chan, MD, performed the surgeries at Unity Outpatient Surgery Center in Buena Park, a facility he owned and is now closed. Approximately 3,000 people from around the country agreed to undergo unnecessary surgeries at Unity, such as procedures to remedy sweaty palms or unneeded colonoscopies.

Willing patients were recruited by "cappers," who arranged their travel and paperwork to receive the surgeries despite patient recruitment being illegal in California. Patients received between $300-$1,000 per surgery and Dr. Chan and other defendants fraudulently billed insurers.

Dr. Chan pleaded guilty to 40 felony counts and faces up to 28 years in state prison.

Read the Los Angeles Times report on Dr. Michael Chan.

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