A New York physician has been indicted for prescribing HIV medications to patients without the disease and billing Medicaid for the treatment, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Suresh Hemrajani, MD, has pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, healthcare fraud and other charges. The alleged scheme worked in three parts. Prosecutors claim middlemen recruited patients on the street and brought them to Dr. Hemrajani's office, sometimes in groups of 10. Dr. Hemrajani allegedly prescribed HIV medications without examining the patients or confirming they had the disease. He allegedly billed Medicaid for the treatment, and patients then traded the drugs for cash from the middlemen, who sold the medicine illegally. The scheme bilked Medicaid by approximately $700,000, according to the report.
More than 150 patients were involved in the scam, and 17 have been sentenced so far. If convicted, Dr. Hemrajani could face up to 15 years in prison.
Read the Wall Street Journal report on Dr. Suresh Hemrajani.
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Suresh Hemrajani, MD, has pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, healthcare fraud and other charges. The alleged scheme worked in three parts. Prosecutors claim middlemen recruited patients on the street and brought them to Dr. Hemrajani's office, sometimes in groups of 10. Dr. Hemrajani allegedly prescribed HIV medications without examining the patients or confirming they had the disease. He allegedly billed Medicaid for the treatment, and patients then traded the drugs for cash from the middlemen, who sold the medicine illegally. The scheme bilked Medicaid by approximately $700,000, according to the report.
More than 150 patients were involved in the scam, and 17 have been sentenced so far. If convicted, Dr. Hemrajani could face up to 15 years in prison.
Read the Wall Street Journal report on Dr. Suresh Hemrajani.
Related Articles on Physicians and Healthcare Fraud:
Connecticut Physician to Pay $2.2M to Settle False Billing Allegations
Dr. Christina Clardy of Houston Convicted on 14 Counts of Healthcare Fraud
Florida Physician Convicted on 17 Counts of Healthcare Fraud