New Jersey-based anesthesia and pain management specialist Morris Antebi, MD, was charged for his alleged role in a $24.6 million fraudulent billing scheme, the Department of Justice announced Nov. 9.
Six details:
1. Dr. Antebi, who owned and operated a pain management clinic chain with locations throughout South Jersey, faces one count of healthcare fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud.
2. Between approximately 2014 through 2020, Dr. Antebi allegedly engaged in "various forms" of billing fraud, including billing Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers for services purportedly provided at times when travel records showed he was overseas or out of state.
3. Dr. Antebi is also accused of billing insurers for more than 24 hours' worth of services in a one-day period of time on more than 900 occasions, and for between 12 and 23.99 hours of purported services in a one-day period of time on more than 300 occasions.
4. On days when law enforcement saw him leaving the clinics early, Dr. Antebi allegedly billed as though he had seen many patients, according to the Department of Justice.
5. Prosecutors say Dr. Antebi billed insurers for "very brief" patient visits during which he often didn't perform any medical exams or evaluations and sometimes had no medical equipment or examination tables.
6. Dr. Antebi has a virtual court appearance scheduled for Nov. 9. The healthcare fraud charge he's facing carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The remaining counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.