Feds charge 36 in alleged health care fraud schemes totaling $1.2 billion

Washington — The Justice Department on Wednesday announced charges against three dozen people who are accused of orchestrating health care fraud schemes across the country, with laboratory owners and company executives among those accused of ordering unnecessary or fraudulent medical tests and equipment worth $1.2 billion.

The defendants are accused of using telemedicine to obtain orders for the unneeded medical tests, which were then allegedly billed to Medicare and other insurance companies, the Justice Department said. According to court documents, the tests and equipment were frequently ordered without any interaction with patients and yielded little valuable information for the patients or their primary care doctors.

In many of the prosecutions, the owners and operators of medical laboratories are accused of paying illegal kickbacks and even bribes to telemedicine companies, medical professionals, and medical equipment companies in exchange for patient referrals to boost business for their personal gain, the department said.