A Bay City, Mich.-based vascular surgeon pleaded guilty to a multimillion dollar fraud scheme Feb. 8, according to the Justice Department.
Four details:
1. Vasso Godiali, MD, 59, signed a plea agreement stating he knowingly defrauded three insurance companies beginning in 2009 by billing for services never rendered.
2. Dr. Godiali said he falsified medical records to make it appear that he was billing for medically necessary stent placements, including multiple stents in the same vessel, and atrial blood clot treatments that weren't delivered.
3. Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield paid Dr. Godiali $19.5 million based on the fraudulent claims. Dr. Godiali agreed to pay the money back as part of the plea deal, and a civil forfeiture case against $39.9 million seized from Dr. Godiali's accounts is still pending.
4. Dr. Godiali's sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 15, and he faces up to 10 years in prison.