The owner of a portable x-ray business faces serious jail time for attempting to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of $3.7 million, forging signatures and making false statements to hide his tracks.
Thomas G. O’Lear, 57, of North Canton, Ohio, was convicted by a federal jury last week, capping a five-day trial, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
DoJ says O’Lear submitted false reimbursement claims to CMS over a five-year period ending in late 2017. O’Lear filed the claims through his business, Portable Radiology Services (PRS). Bogus services for which he billed included around 151 x-rays for patients in nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and long-term care facilities.
O’Lear filed a number of claims for patients who died before the date of the fake service. Other claims reflected multiple x-rays when PRS only supplied one.
“The jury also found that when O’Lear was audited by a Medicaid managed care organization (MCO), he covered up the scheme and committed aggravated identity theft by creating false medical records and forging the signatures of others, including a doctor,” the prosecuting attorney’s office reports.
“As a result of the scheme, court documents state that O’Lear fraudulently billed Medicare, Medicaid and Medicaid MCOs approximately $3.7 million in claims, and received approximately $2 million in payments.”
O’Lear is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2 of this year.
The U.S. attorney’s office says each of the healthcare fraud counts carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Further:
The false statements relating to a healthcare matter counts carries a 5-year maximum sentence, and the aggravated identity theft counts carry a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed by the Court on the other charges.”
Full media brief here.
More coverage of healthcare fraud:
Imaging-center chain CEO gets 5 years in prison for $250M MRI bribe scheme
Medicare Advantage plans failing to collect info on imaging referrers, opening door for fraud
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Jury convicts former imaging center chain CEO in $250M MRI bribe scheme
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.