SETX — Federal authorities say they have launched the largest health care fraud crackdown in U.S. history, charging hundreds of defendants and alleging billions of dollars in false claims — including multiple cases tied to the Houston area.
The Justice Department said 455 defendants are accused of schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims tied to taxpayer-funded programs.
In Southeast Texas, prosecutors highlighted several cases centered in the Houston area. In one scheme, prosecutors said a Houston-area operation billed more than $16 million to Texas Medicaid for mental health services that often were not provided or were not provided by properly licensed professionals.
In another case, a Texas defendant allegedly collected $3 million by billing for physical therapy while patients watched TV, used their smartphones or exercised on their own.
Federal prosecutors also charged three people in what they described as a Houston-area “pill mill,” alleging cash-only clinics and a Conroe pharmacy helped distribute more than 3 million pills, including oxycodone and hydrocodone.
The largest case mentioned in the region involves nurse practitioner Marcelle Yuki. The DOJ alleged she generated more than $906 million in false Medicare and Tricare claims by targeting elderly patients, including some in hospice.
Authorities also detailed high-dollar assets tied to the investigation, including a $594,000 Ferrari that was purchased and one of eight seized vehicles, an...
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