Fraudster targeted Medicare patients with unnecessary DME orders
- Reports
- 2
- Developments
- 1
- Repetition
- 50%
New informationRepeats or wire copies
What happened
Christopher Harwood, owner of TelevisitMD, targeted Medicare patients to pressure them into accepting genetic tests and orthotic braces they did not need. Harwood paid doctors to approve these orders, bypassing Medicare rules, before selling the signed orders to Durable Medical Equipment companies and marketers. Harwood also owned DME supply companies that billed Medicare for these unnecessary orthotic braces.
From pjmedia.com
Why it matters
This activity is part of a larger investigation into a $3.7 billion healthcare fraud scheme involving Medicare billing for non-existent medical equipment. The scheme highlights vulnerabilities in welfare systems that allow individuals to scam millions of dollars from taxpayers.
The FBI is investigating a $3.7 billion healthcare fraud scheme involving Medicare billing for non-existent medical equipment.
From pjmedia.com
Who's involved
- MedicareThe US federal health insurance program that was targeted for fraudulent billing.
- departmentThe office involved in executing anti-fraud crackdowns against Medicare billing.
- CMSThe administrative body responsible for implementing and managing the federal Medicare health insurance program.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- CMSSpeculative
CMS might face increased administrative burden and costs associated with enforcing anti-fraud crackdowns and restitution.
Keep exploring
Part of
FBI is investigating a $3.7 billion healthcare fraud scheme involving Medicare billing for non-existent medical equipment.Also in this story
- DME supply companies filed fraudulent claims totaling $34.8 million against Medicare.
- Authorities are investigating alleged fraud in healthcare services within the state of Maine.
- Orchard Laboratories Corporation is facing charges from the U.S. Attorney's Office regarding billing fraud involving Medicare.
- Sanjeev Kumar was sentenced for medical fraud after using devices on Medicare patients while operating a clinic in Memphis.
The entities involved
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Medicare
US federal health insurance
Related events
- The administration, involving Trump and JD Vance, defended its anti-fraud campaign targeting major fraud schemes within Medicare claims, leading to executive convictions.
- Patrick Britton-Harr was convicted in Maryland for fraudulently billing Medicare for tests.
- Targeted enforcement actions were taken against fraudulent claims within Medicare, overseen by a task force led by JD Vance.
- Fraud allegations involving Medicare in Texas are currently being investigated by the Department of Justice.