Podiatrist Pleads Guilty to Medicare Health Care Fraud (Illinois)
A podiatrist from Illinois pleaded guilty Friday to bilking Medicare out of thousands of dollars over the past decade by writing bills for medical procedures not performed. The podiatrist's attorney Ron Hamm contends the amount is less than $20,000, however the government is claiming the amount is closer to $270,000.
From 2002 through 2006, Ernest Nwani, D.P.M. submitted claims, which Medicare paid, for 539 surgical procedures of various types regarding 442 patients and claims for the permanent removal of 1,082 toenails from 394 patients, according to court records. Medicare paid $171,760 for the surgeries and $100,180 for the toenail removals. Thirty-three patients were interviewed and of those, "none of the surgeries billed for these 33 patients and for which Medicare paid, could be verified as having been performed," court records state.
The charge of healthcare fraud, which he pleaded to, has a maximum prison term of 10 years.
Source: Andy Kravetz, Peoria Journal Star [4/26/08]
