A Houston, Texas woman was sentenced Monday to four years in prison and ordered to pay $1.46 million in restitution to Medicare for her involvement in healthcare fraud, according to a news release by the Department of Justice.
Sandra Thurman Patino and two associates, Katrice Oliver and Athony Thurman, ran two medical equipment companies that mainly dealt with the delivery of wheelchairs. From 2002 to 2003, the three billed Medicare almost $4 million for mainly scooters but actually distributed less expensive versions.
Ms. Patino worked in conjunction with a Dr. Lewis Gottlieb, who admitted to receiving kickbacks for prescriptions to patients who did not meet medical requirements to receive a scooter. He has since been sentenced and is serving time in prison.
Ms. Oliver and Mr. Thurman were also previously sentenced and each sentenced to five years of probation, with Mr. Thurman serving every weekend in federal custody for nine months.
Read the Department of Justice's news release on the case of Houston healthcare fraud.
Read more recent news about healthcare fraud:
- Leaders Meet to Inspect Scope of Healthcare Fraud Expanding in South Florida
- Former CFO Accuses Indiana ASC, Hospital of Billing Fraud; Hospital Assessing Whether to Intervene
- Michigan Physical Therapist and Physician Assistant Plead Guilty to Healthcare Fraud, Another to Face Jail Time
Sandra Thurman Patino and two associates, Katrice Oliver and Athony Thurman, ran two medical equipment companies that mainly dealt with the delivery of wheelchairs. From 2002 to 2003, the three billed Medicare almost $4 million for mainly scooters but actually distributed less expensive versions.
Ms. Patino worked in conjunction with a Dr. Lewis Gottlieb, who admitted to receiving kickbacks for prescriptions to patients who did not meet medical requirements to receive a scooter. He has since been sentenced and is serving time in prison.
Ms. Oliver and Mr. Thurman were also previously sentenced and each sentenced to five years of probation, with Mr. Thurman serving every weekend in federal custody for nine months.
Read the Department of Justice's news release on the case of Houston healthcare fraud.
Read more recent news about healthcare fraud:
- Leaders Meet to Inspect Scope of Healthcare Fraud Expanding in South Florida
- Former CFO Accuses Indiana ASC, Hospital of Billing Fraud; Hospital Assessing Whether to Intervene
- Michigan Physical Therapist and Physician Assistant Plead Guilty to Healthcare Fraud, Another to Face Jail Time