A 38-year-old man from Florida was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison for his role in a large-scale scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $67 million. The man managed a call center unit that targeted Medicare beneficiaries and their doctors with misleading telemarketing calls. He and his accomplices deceived physicians into ordering unnecessary genetic tests by falsely claiming that patients had requested them and had valid medical reasons for the tests. They then used these doctored orders to submit fraudulent Medicare claims, with the test results often never reaching the patients' doctors or contributing to their treatment.
This case underscores the importance of vigilance in preventing Medicare fraud. Pharmacists are encouraged to stay alert and report any suspected fraudulent activities by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or reaching out directly to the Office of Inspector General at
1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477) to help protect patients and Medicare resources.
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