Lafayette Chiropractor Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Health Care Fraud Charges
Health Insurers Scammed Out of $176,243.49

LAFAYETTE, LA—United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Lafayette chiropractor Michael Keith Johnsey, 46, of Lafayette, Louisiana, appeared in court Thursday afternoon and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to three counts of healthcare fraud. Johnsey was the owner and operator of Acadiana Doctors of Chiropractic.

According to plea documents filed with the court, Johnsey was a treating chiropractor for patients at the clinic, and he was responsible for making sure that the correct treatment was billed by accurately conveying the treatments and services he performed to the billing staff. Johnsey submitted billing codes to health insurers for treatment that was not performed on his patients and continued this practice for more than two years. Between approximately June 1, 2009 and July 31, 2011, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana paid $176,243.49 in fraudulent claims for chiropractic services that were never rendered.

At sentencing, Johnsey faces a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 17, 2013.

The case was investigated by the Louisiana State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Lafayette Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.