Two more physicians have been convicted for their roles in a nationwide telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary orthotic braces and genetic testing.
Theresa Kordish, DO, of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Utibe Effiong, MD, of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., admitted to authorizing medical orders through a telemedicine program for patients they never met or examined, according to a Nov. 18 Justice Department news release.
Both physicians pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to healthcare matters and agreed to pay civil settlements. Dr. Kordish will pay $50,000, while Dr. Effiong will pay $150,000.
The fraud scheme involved marketers contacting Medicare beneficiaries to gather enough personal information to fill out fraudulent medical orders for orthotic braces and genetic testing. Physicians were then paid to approve these orders via telemedicine programs without ever meeting the patients.
Three additional physicians have also settled civil allegations related to the scheme:
- Derek Grossman, DO (Traverse City, Mich.), agreed to pay $295,192.93 for ordering over 1,300 medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
- Pedro Toweh, MD (Battle Creek, Mich.), agreed to pay $85,822 for ordering more than 800 medically unnecessary braces.
- Aaron Willen, DO (Kalamazoo), agreed to pay $80,000 for submitting several hundred orthotics claims.