According to the indictment, Mr. Puig, a licensed physician assistant, and Ms. Puig, a certified nursing assistant, operated the La Hacienda Family Clinic near Alton, Texas. Both are charged with conspiring to defraud the Texas Medicaid program, through a scheme to defraud Medicaid and with mail fraud.
Mr. Puig, as a physician assistant, is required to have a licensed physician supervising his work and delegating responsibilities to him. According to the indictment, in May 2005, he filed a written notice with the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners fraudulently claiming he would be supervised by a licensed physician in Mission, Texas. Between May 2005 and Jan. 2006, Mr. Puig allegedly provided and attempted to provide medical services at La Hacienda Clinic that were not delegated to him nor supervised by a licensed physician, according to the release. The indictment further alleges he and Ms. Puig billed Medicaid for medical services illegally provided by Mr. Puig, illegally provided by unlicensed individuals and for medical services that were never rendered then sent more than 6,000 claims for payment to Medicaid charging in excess of $268,000 for these illegal/ineligible services.
Mr. and Mrs. Puig face maximum penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, if convicted of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud or executing the scheme to commit healthcare fraud and up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of mail fraud, according to the release.
Read the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s release on Manuel and Romelia Puig.
