Husband and Wife Doctors Indicted for Health Care Fraud

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted Dr. Robert Barrow, age 60, and Dr. Angela Barrow, age 50, of Little Rock, charging both with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. In addition, Dr. Robert Barrow is also charged with four counts of making false statements in relation to health care matters.

According to the indictment, Dr. Robert Barrow and Dr. Angela Barrow were husband and wife physicians who together owned and operated Your Doctor’s Office, a medical clinic in Little Rock. It goes on to allege that the doctors affiliated with a local massage therapist, whose services were billed to health insurers as physical therapy and with whom the doctors would split the proceeds. Related claims to Medicare and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield alone exceeded $1.2 million during the alleged fraud. The indictment also claims that Dr. Robert Barrow billed for therapeutic ultrasounds that were never performed.

If convicted, the Barrows face up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts of health care fraud, as well as 10 years’ imprisonment for the overarching conspiracy. Dr. Robert Barrow also faces up to five years’ imprisonment on each count of making false statements in relation to health care matters.

The indictment arises out of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Morgan.

An indictment contains only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.