The Justice Department on Tuesday announced a historic healthcare fraud “takedown,” saying the operation uncovered $6.5 billion in false government healthcare claims and charges against 455 defendants.
The cases are part of the DOJ’s annual National Health Care Fraud Takedown and targeted a wide range of alleged schemes involving Medicare, Medicaid and other government-funded health care programs, according to ABC7.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a press conference at DOJ headquarters, in Washington, D.C., announcing the operation that the $6.5 billion was the second-largest amount ever charged in a single healthcare fraud operation.
He was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who said: “If you exploit patients for profit, if you steal Medicaid or Medicare dollars, if you treat taxpayer dollars as your personal bank account, we will investigate you. We will build the case, and we will bring you to justice.”
He also said others participating in the operation that led to the charges included other federal agencies, U.S. territories and 45 states – 18 of which were blue states with Democratic governors.
Defendants allegedly took part in false billing, kickback arrangements, unnecessary medical services, and more to wrongfully obtain taxpayer-funded healthcare dollars, according to ABC7.
One specific case involving alleged fraudulent EKG testing that was allegedly read incorrectly, leading to the death of a University of Mobile...
Three Oklahomans have been charged as part of a federal crackdown on health care fraud throughout the United States. More than 450 people, including doctors and nurse practitioners across 45 states...