Oakland County, Mich.-based podiatrist Kenneth Mitchell, DPM, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a $1.8 million healthcare fraud scheme wherein he billed Medicare under another physician's name, the U.S. Justice Department said May 4.
Dr. Mitchell owned and operated a podiatry practice specializing in foot care for residents of adult foster homes.
Dr. Mitchell's privileges to participate in Medicare were revoked in 2015. He then convinced his partner physician to enroll in Medicare and open a new clinic, Urban Health Care Group, where he continued to bill Medicare for services using his partner's name.
After Dr. Mitchell was indicted, he also created false statements, including forging at least one signature on a fraudulent letter sent to the U.S. Department of HHS to impede the government's investigation against him, according to the report.