The fraud involved the treatment of HIV-positive Medicare beneficiaries at Research Center of Florida from Oct. 2003-Nov. 2004. Mr. Mendez was vice president of the center, while Mr. Beltran was a medical assistant. According to facts they submitted at their plea hearings, the clinic submitted $21 million in Medicare claims, and Medicare paid $10.9 million for HIV treatments that were either not given or for which smaller doses were administered.
In addition to admitting that he provided claims to Medicare knowing that treatments would not be provided, Mr. Mendez admitted that he and the clinic’s president arranged cash kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries to come to the center as purported patients. Mr. Beltran admitted to preparing false documentation regarding treatments that had not been provided.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to the release.
Read the U.S. Attorney’s office press release on the Medicare fraud.
