Archive for September 2022
OIG Gives Blessing to Gift Card Arrangement
Last month, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) published an advisory opinion in which it declined to impose sanctions for an arrangement under which the requestor provides gift cards to Medicare Advantage enrollees who complete an online learning program related to potential risks, benefits, and expectations relating to surgeries. The requestor stated that the program…
Read MoreDME Company Owner Sentenced to Seven Years in Fraud Case
The owner of a durable medical equipment (DME) company in Fort Myers was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for his role in a scam that bilked Medicare and Medicaid out of $1.6 million. Earlier this year, North Miami resident Daniel Pintado Cazola, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit…
Read MoreBiotech Executive Convicted in Multimillion-Dollar Testing Scheme
A California biotech executive recently was convicted in connection with a $77 million scheme involving false and fraudulent claims for COVID-19 and allergy testing as well as securities fraud. Mark Schena, 59, president of Arrayit Corporation, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two…
Read MoreTexas MD Faces Significant Prison Time for TRICARE Fraud
A Texas physician faces significant time behind bars after being convicted of engaging in a scheme to fraudulently bill TRICARE, for toxicology and genetic tests that were not provided as represented and/or were medically unnecessary. TRICARE is the healthcare program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, Dr. Sekhar Rao, a vascular and interventional…
Read More