Medical Doctor Settles Civil Fraud Allegations in Adult Homes Investigation

Dr. Dominick Piacente, a New York family physician, has agreed to pay the United States $150,000 to resolve civil allegations that he paid kickbacks and caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare in connection with care that he purportedly provided to residents of adult homes.   

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the settlement.  Mr. DuCharme thanked the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, for its assistance in the investigation.

“Patients requiring the care of adult home service providers deserve to have the benefit of Medicare, and to be treated as people, not commodities.  Doctors who bilk our federal healthcare programs, in the guise of caring for disabled and elderly patients, will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. 

Adult homes are privately-owned residential facilities licensed by the State of New York to provide long-term care and supervision to adults with disabilities or mental illnesses.  An investigation by the FBI revealed that from October 2015 through April 2016, Dr. Piacente paid medical management companies in adult homes to induce the companies to allow him to receive payment from Medicare for services that he did not actually provide to residents.  The settlement resolves potential claims that Piacente’s alleged conduct violated the False Claims Act.           

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only.  The government’s case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Kutlin of the Office’s Civil Division.