New Jersey Podiatrist admits involvment in fake Medicare Claims scheme (N.J.)
Authorities said that podiatrist Michael Schmierer, D.PM. from Holmdel ran clinics in Middlesex and Union counties in New Jersey has admitted to obstructing a federal health-care audit.
Dr. Michael Schmierer is a partner in Advantage Foot and Ankle Centers. On August 7, he plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Trenton to one count of obstructing a federal audit.
Schmierer's podiatry practice had centers in Linden, South Amboy, East Brunswick, Linden and Oldbridge.
Advantage Foot and Ankle Center was audited by a Medicare contractor responsible for detecting Medicare fraud. Medicare requested 25 original medical records of patients who had been treated at Advantage and had submitted claims for reimbursement for those treatments.
Authorities determined that Schmierer and co-conspirators re-wrote patient notes in 7 of the 25 files to in order to enhance the claims sent to Medicare. Schmierer admitted that the seven records had been altered to justify the billing.
Dr. Schmierer's sentence is scheduled for November 18 and he faces a maximum of five years in prison and as much as a $250,000 fine, however sentencing guidelines call for a 12 to 18 months sentence in prison.
Source: mycenteraljersey.com [8/7/08]
