The criminal saga of the X-ray business owner who got caught fleecing CMS of $2 million—while grabbing for another $1.7 million or so—has reached its epilogue.
Thomas G. O’Lear of North Canton, Ohio, who is not yet 60 years old, will serve 15 years in prison and pay $1,989,490 in restitution to Medicare, Medicaid and two Medicaid Managed Care Organizations.
The sentencing follows the 2019 indictment for defrauding Medicare of $2 million and the April 2022 conviction on thousands of counts.
Most of the offenses involved billing for X-rays and related services never rendered, but O’Lear also must pay for trying to hide evidence and seeking to steal patients’ identities.
The news comes from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
The federal prosecutor notes that O’Lear once was president of Portable Radiology Services (PRS). Its clients in and around North Canton included nursing homes, skilled nursing centers and long-term care facilities.
O’Lear carried out the crimes from 2013 through 2017. Some of the most brazen involved billing for patients long deceased.
Also itemized in the DOJ press brief:
- O’Lear billed Medicare and Medicaid for purportedly having provided X-ray-related services to beneficiaries at nursing facilities on dates when the beneficiaries were hospitalized and not at the facilities.
- O’Lear took multiple X-rays that had all been performed in one visit and falsely claimed that each one had been done on a different day, requiring separate reimbursement for transporting the portable X-ray equipment on each date.
- O’Lear falsely billed for taking multiple images or views of patients when only one view had been done, thereby requiring a greater reimbursement.
The brief quotes FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen.
“Criminal misconduct within the healthcare system is not only deceitful but also destructive,” Nelsen says. “Mr. O’Lear’s schemes are appalling. Those who abuse their position of trust for financial greed will not be tolerated.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost adds: “This crook made victims of everybody who pays taxes, and he deserves every day of his sentence.”
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.