Chicago-Area Man Charged in $1 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office May 02, 2012 |
CHICAGO—A south suburban resident who purported to provide psychotherapy services to Medicare patients was charged with participating in a $1 million health care fraud scheme, the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announced today.
The defendant, Bryan Day, 42, of Richton Park, who is not a licensed medical professional, operated and was part owner of Charm Development LLC, located in Chicago Heights, which purported to provide psychotherapy services to patients, primarily in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Day was charged with six counts of health care fraud in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury last week and announced today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Regional Office of the HHS-OIG; and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Day is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. May 14 before U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall in federal court in Chicago.
The indictment alleges that between January 2008 and June 2009 Day submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare totaling $1,078,733, and caused Medicare to pay approximately $438,852. Day allegedly submitted claims for individual psychotherapy services purportedly performed by Doctor A, knowing that Doctor A did not provide the services claimed. In addition, the claims included services that were purportedly provided at times when Doctor A was not present at Charm and not licensed by the state of Illinois. The claims also included services that were purportedly provided by Doctor A after Doctor A was no longer employed by Charm, and Day allegedly submitted Medicare claims for services purportedly rendered by Doctor A in excess of 24 hours a day.
According to the indictment, Doctor A was licensed to practice medicine in Illinois until July 31, 2008, and Doctor A was employed by Charm from May 2005 until February 2009.
The indictment seeks forfeiture of approximately $438,852. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Chmelar. Each count of health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or an alternate fine totaling twice the loss or twice the gain, whichever is greater. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
An indictment contains merely charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is part of a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven cities that led to charges against 107 individuals for their alleged participation in schemes to collectively submit approximately $452 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. This takedown involved the highest amount of false Medicare billings in a single takedown in Strike Force history.
“The results we are announcing today are at the heart of an Administration-wide commitment to protecting American taxpayers from health care fraud, which can drive up costs and threaten the strength and integrity of our health care system,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “We are determined to bring to justice those who violate our laws and defraud the Medicare program for personal gain. As today’s takedown reflects, our ongoing fight against health care fraud has never been more coordinated and effective.”
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations, which expanded to Chicago in February 2011, are part of the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), a joint initiative announced in May 2009 between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Approximately three dozen defendants have been charged in health care fraud cases since the strike force began operating in Chicago last year.
Since their inception in March 2007, Strike Force operations in nine locations have charged more than 1,330 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $4 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.