DeSoto Physician Guilty in Health Care Fraud Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 19, 2011 |
PLANO, TX—A 53-year-old DeSoto, Texas physician has pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud-related charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Dr. Harold Wagner pleaded guilty to accepting illegal kickbacks involving health care programs today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Don Bush.
According to information presented in court, Wagner had accepted kickbacks from a wheelchair supplier for referring wheelchair patients, who were Medicare and Medicaid recipients to the supplier. The supplier was later reimbursed by these programs for the wheelchairs. It is against federal law for a Medicare or Medicaid provider to make referrels to medical equipment suppliers in exchange for kickbacks. Wagner was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan 14, 2010.
Wagner faces up to five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Texas Office of the Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU) and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Blackmon.