Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Michigan Medicare Fraud Strike Force

By Mark Mandell

Recently, in the Eastern District of Michigan, five more individuals were charged for their participation in yet another Medicare fraud scheme. The Department of Justice, FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the charges in late September, stating the individuals were involved in fraudulent health and psychotherapy services.

Defendants charged in the documents include: Mohammed Sadiq, 65, Troy, Mich.; Jamella Al-Jumail, 23, of Brownstown, Mich.; Firas Alky, 40, of Shelby Township, Mich.; Clarence Cooper, 53, of Detroit; and Beverly Cooper, 58, of Detroit.

According to court documents the scheme involved a total of more than $24.7 million in fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare. The majority of this total was billed as home health care and psychotherapy services that were either medically unnecessary or had never really occurred.

The investigation was triggered by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the strike force has charged more than 1,330 defendants who collectively have fraudulently billed Medicare for more than $4 billion. Working in conjuncture with the FBI and HHS, the strike force hopes to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

Fausone Bohn’s team working on Medicare fraud cases include Mark Mandell, Tariq Hafeez, Breeda O’Leary and Matt Worley.

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