Oklahoma Medical-Supply Owner Gets 14 Years in $30M Medicare Fraud
A case summary released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Oct. 9 says the owner of an Oklahoma durable medical equipment company has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for health care fraud. The owner, also a chiropractor, shipped equipment to beneficiaries who did not want or need it and billed federal programs for the cost.
According to the department, the scheme billed Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA more than $30 million. The equipment included orthotic braces, glucose monitors, and other durable medical items that many beneficiaries never ordered and did not need.
"Free equipment" scams like this are common targets of seniors: operators first obtain a beneficiary's Medicare number, then ship cheap braces and supplies while billing Medicare at inflated prices. Receiving medical equipment you never ordered, or getting calls about a "free Medicare equipment upgrade," are classic warning signs.
If an older family member receives unordered medical equipment, treat it as a red flag: Medicare does not cold-call to sell equipment, and any caller offering free items in exchange for a Medicare number should be hung up on and verified independently. Suspect shipments can be reported to Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 or to the HHS Office of Inspector General; keeping the packaging and paperwork helps investigators.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice case summary)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice case summary
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 俄克拉荷马城美国邮政局及法院大楼（资料图）Photo: Joel Bradshaw, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
