An Oahu clinic owner has been sentenced to nine months in federal prison for committing health care fraud against military service members and their families, along with Medicare beneficiaries. Stephen Timothy Wells, the 41-year-old owner of Oahu Spine and Rehab, with locations in Kailua and Aiea, was sentenced following his September 27 guilty plea. In addition to prison time, Wells will face three years of supervised release and is ordered to pay over $392,000 in restitution to TRICARE and Medicare, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Wells knowingly used unqualified staff, like massage therapists and personal trainers, even one with zero professional licenses, to provide services billed as physical therapy. From July 2013 to early 2020, these services were falsely submitted for payment under the guise they had been performed by licensed practitioners. Wells was fully aware these individuals were not to be approved providers and could not legally bill TRICARE and Medicare for their services.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson drew attention to the impact of health care fraud, stating, “Tens of billions of dollars are lost to health care fraud each year, robbing Americans of vitally needed quality health services.” Sorenson’s office emphasized the damage done to the nation’s military personnel, their families, and vulnerable populations like the elderly and disabled. Sorenson conveyed that such fraudulent acts diminish resources intended for “some the most deserving and physically and financially vulnerable members of our society.” The sentence handed down serves as a stark warning against defrauding taxpayer-funded insurance programs, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office…