New Jersey Doctor Pleads Guilty to $13 Million Conspiracy to Defraud Medicare with Telemedicine

[TexasTowelie]

New Jersey Doctor Pleads Guilty to $13 Million Conspiracy to Defraud Medicare with Telemedicine Orders of Orthotic Braces


A Toms River, New Jersey physician pleaded guilty today for his role in a $13 million health care fraud scheme, which previously resulted in charges in April 2019 against 23 other defendants in one of the largest health care fraud cases investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and prosecuted by the Department of Justice.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey, Assistant Director Robert Johnson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary Cantrell of HHS-OIG and Deputy Administrator and Director Alec Alexander of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Center for Program Integrity (CMS/CPI) made the announcement.

Joseph DeCorso, 62, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan of the District of New Jersey. DeCorso’s sentencing is set for Jan. 8, 2020, before Judge Sheridan.

In pleading guilty, DeCorso admitted that he worked for two purported telemedicine companies for which he wrote medically unnecessary orders for orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries between July 2017 and March 2019. He admitted that his conduct resulted in a $13 million intended loss to Medicare. In connection with his plea agreement, DeCorso agreed to pay over $7 million in restitution to the United States, as well as forfeit assets and property traceable to proceeds of the conspiracy.

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/new-jersey-doctor-pleads-guilty-13-million-conspiracy-defraud-medicare-telemedicine-orders

[customerserviceguy]

1. Doctors had well beware of telemedicine

Once we get to the point where nobody can get in to see a doctor, it will be a short leap to having your illnesses diagnosed and treated by machines.

We're already at the point where computerized umpires and referees would do a better job than flesh-and-blood sports officials, who have been increasingly relying on technology to do their jobs, how far in the future until we have Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy's sick bay, but without the good doctor?