3 Shocking Medicare Frauds

Medicare fraud is widespread and complex, costing taxpayers about $60 billion a year, The Los Angeles Times reported.

In June, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a nationwide sweep resulting in charges against 243 people for $712 million in false Medicare billing through various crimes. The Justice Department called it the largest takedown in the history of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Strike Force operations, which began in 2007, have charged more than 2,300 defendants for more than $7 billion in false billing.

Here are three shocking instances of Medicare fraud.

Urgent: How Favorably Do You View the Medicare Program Overall?

1. North Palm Beach Eye Doctor
Ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen was jailed and charged with scamming Medicare for more than $105 million, according to Palm Beach Post. Melgen was a prominent doctor in the area and treated at times 100 patients a day. Now he faces 76 charges for unrightfully diagnosing his patients with age-related macular degeneration, and not administering the government provided drug Lucentis to the patients. Instead of giving out the drug, Melgen allegedly would split small portions of the drug to his patients and would continue to charge Medicare for individual treatment. Melgen’s practice continued from 2008 till 2013, till he was discovered.

2. New Orleans Businesswoman
Lisa Crinel, who was charged with Medicare fraud along with 19 co-defendants, pleaded not guilty, The Times-Picayune reported. Crinel allegedly was the leader of a scheme that paid doctors to order unneeded healthcare treatment for Medicare recipients. Among the many nurses accused of working with the scheme was Sheila Mathieu, who is the mother of NFL player, Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu. The alleged scheme totaled $30 million.

3. 50-Year Sentence
Co-owner and chief executive Lawrence Duran of American Therapeutics was sentenced to 50 years of prison, the Miami Herald reported in October 2014. Duran along with a few other accomplices were part of a $200 million Medicare fraud. The company allegedly conducted fake evaluations for hundreds of its patients and falsified their records to cover their tracks, and received money from Medicare for patients that were not in need of treatment. The sentence was the longest sentence for someone convicted in a Medicare fraud, according to the Miami Herald.

Vote Now: How Do You Think Obamacare Has Impacted Medicare?

Related Stories:

• 5 Things Medicare Shockingly Doesn't Cover
• 4 Outspoken People Against Medicare