Buffalo,NY (WBEN) United States Attorney Michael DiGiacomo says two area doctors are charged with scheming to defraud Medicare.
40 year old Joel Durinka of Orchard Park is charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and false statements relating to health care matters in connection with a telehealth/durable medical equipment scheme. Federal prosecutors say Durinka billed Medicare for $5.6 million for audio-only telehealth visits that were either brief or did not occur at all. They add Durinka produced and maintained false and fictitious medical records and fraudulently certified orders for braces without regard to the braces’ medical necessity to the tune of $29.6 million. The government has seized $325,683.07 in money from Durinka.
Enaame Farrell, 50, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, was subject to a civil complaint alleging violations of the False Claims Act in connection with scheme to defraud Medicare by causing the submission of false and fraudulent claims for which Medicare paid approximately $3.4 million.In this case, prosecutors say Farrell, a licensed medical doctor, ordered items and services, including durable medical equipment, for Medicare beneficiaries without speaking with or examining the beneficiaries, signing pre-populated order forms within seconds of accessing the beneficiaries’ medical records…