[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":1050,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"The Department of Justice has charged 24 defendants, including executives with five telehealth vendors, in one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes investigated by the FBI and HHS Office of the Inspector General.

According to DOJ, the nationwide case involves more than $1.2 billion in losses as a result of the \u201calleged\u201d payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes by durable medical equipment (DME) companies in exchange for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries by medical professionals working with fraudulent telemedicine vendors for medically unnecessary back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces.

\u201cThese defendants\u2014who range from corporate executives to medical professionals\u2014allegedly participated in an expansive and sophisticated fraud to exploit telemedicine technology meant for patients otherwise unable to access healthcare,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski. \u201cThis Department of Justice will not tolerate medical professionals and executives who look to line their pockets by cheating our healthcare programs.\u201d

Last year, telemedicine vendor HealthRight\u2014with locations in Pennsylvania and Florida\u2014and the company\u2019s CEO pleaded guilty in a $1 billion healthcare fraud scheme. Four other individuals and seven companies were indicted in the scheme\u2014all charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, mail fraud and introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.

Also See:<\/b> Telehealth vendor pleads guilty in $1B fraud scheme<\/a>

In this latest case, some of the 24 defendants lured patients into the fraud scheme through an international call center that targeted Medicare beneficiaries and \u201cup-sold\u201d them to accept numerous \u201cfree or low-cost\u201d back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces.

\u201cThe international call center allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain DME orders for these Medicare beneficiaries,\u201d according to allegations in court documents cited by the DOJ announcement. \u201cThe telemedicine companies then allegedly paid physicians to write medically unnecessary DME orders. Finally, the international call center sold the DME orders that it obtained from the telemedicine companies to DME companies, which fraudulently billed Medicare.\u201d

\u201cThe defendants took advantage of unwitting patients who were simply trying to get relief from their health concerns,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito. \u201cInstead, the defendants preyed upon their weakened state and pushed millions of dollars\u2019 worth of unnecessary medical devices, which Medicare paid for, and then set up an elaborate system for laundering their ill-gotten proceeds.\u201d
","saveContent":"The Department of Justice has charged 24 defendants, including executives with five telehealth vendors, in one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes investigated by the FBI and HHS Office of the Inspector General.

According to DOJ, the nationwide case involves more than $1.2 billion in losses as a result of the \u201calleged\u201d payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes by durable medical equipment (DME) companies in exchange for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries by medical professionals working with fraudulent telemedicine vendors for medically unnecessary back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces.

\u201cThese defendants\u2014who range from corporate executives to medical professionals\u2014allegedly participated in an expansive and sophisticated fraud to exploit telemedicine technology meant for patients otherwise unable to access healthcare,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski. \u201cThis Department of Justice will not tolerate medical professionals and executives who look to line their pockets by cheating our healthcare programs.\u201d

Last year, telemedicine vendor HealthRight\u2014with locations in Pennsylvania and Florida\u2014and the company\u2019s CEO pleaded guilty in a $1 billion healthcare fraud scheme. Four other individuals and seven companies were indicted in the scheme\u2014all charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, mail fraud and introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.

Also See:<\/b> Telehealth vendor pleads guilty in $1B fraud scheme<\/a>

In this latest case, some of the 24 defendants lured patients into the fraud scheme through an international call center that targeted Medicare beneficiaries and \u201cup-sold\u201d them to accept numerous \u201cfree or low-cost\u201d back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces.

\u201cThe international call center allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain DME orders for these Medicare beneficiaries,\u201d according to allegations in court documents cited by the DOJ announcement. \u201cThe telemedicine companies then allegedly paid physicians to write medically unnecessary DME orders. Finally, the international call center sold the DME orders that it obtained from the telemedicine companies to DME companies, which fraudulently billed Medicare.\u201d

\u201cThe defendants took advantage of unwitting patients who were simply trying to get relief from their health concerns,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito. \u201cInstead, the defendants preyed upon their weakened state and pushed millions of dollars\u2019 worth of unnecessary medical devices, which Medicare paid for, and then set up an elaborate system for laundering their ill-gotten proceeds.\u201d
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DOJ sets charges in $1.2B Medicare fraud scheme using telemedicine

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