Doctor Sentenced in Kickback Scheme Involving a Philadelphia Hospice

PHILADELPHIA—Eugene Goldman, M.D., 55, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison and a $300,000 fine for conspiring to violate the anti-kickback statute and violating the anti-kickback statute in relation to his role in a kickback scheme arising from his employment as the Medical Director at Home Care Hospice Inc. (HCH). U.S. District Court Judge Eduardo Robreno ordered Goldman to immediately begin serving his sentence and also ordered three years of supervised release. Goldman also faces mandatory exclusion from participation in any federal health care program.

The evidence at trial proved that from approximately December 2000 until approximately July 2011, Dr. Goldman served as the medical director for HCH and regularly referred Medicare or Medicaid patient beneficiaries to HCH. HCH was a for-profit business in Philadelphia that provided hospice services for patients at nursing homes, hospitals, and private residences.

In December 2000, the defendant and one of the co-owners of HCH entered into a written contract to create the false appearance that all payments to Dr. Goldman from HCH were for services rendered in Dr. Goldman’s capacity as medical director for HCH, when in fact the large majority of payments from HCH to Dr. Goldman were illegal payments for the referral of Medicare and/or Medicaid patients to HCH. From January 2003 to July 2011, Dr. Goldman received approximately $309,000 in illegal payments for patient referrals. In January, February, and March 2009, Dr. Goldman was captured on tape receiving kickbacks for patient referrals.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne B. Ercole and Trial Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen of the Organized Crime and Gang Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.