A Massachusetts physician indicted for her position in a global telemedicine kickback scheme is wrapped up in one other authorized setback, agreeing to plead responsible to allegedly defrauding Medicare for genetic testing companies she by no means supplied.
Le Thu, a Boston-based emergency medication doctor, is accused of inflicting third-party laboratories to submit roughly $35.5 million in claims to Medicare primarily based on orders for genetic testing that allegedly contained false medical documentation.
Medicare paid about $25.3 million, Massachusetts US Lawyer Leah Foley’s workplace stated Friday.
Thu, 69, has agreed to plead responsible to 2 counts of creating false statements regarding well being care issues, a cost that carries a sentence of as much as 5 years in jail, three years of supervised launch, and a effective of as much as $250,000.
Charging paperwork allege that Thu “knowingly and willfully engaged in a scheme to deceive the Medicare Program in connection with payments for genetic testing for beneficiaries,” between March 2017 and November 2020.
The alleged scheme concerned both Thu signing “false medical documentation and orders” or having others who lacked medical coaching full and submit the paperwork for “beneficiaries’ genetic testing, which was generally not covered by Medicare.”
The deceitful apply made it seem that Thu was “providing legitimate services,” Foley’s workplace stated in a launch.
“Thu allegedly signed or caused these orders to be signed that falsely claimed she had consulted with beneficiaries,” the discharge states, “conducted examinations prior to ordering genetic testing, obtained consent, and/or would use the testing results to treat the beneficiaries.”
“However,” the discharge continues, “it is alleged that Thu did not see, speak to, or otherwise communicate, examine or provide any medical services to Medicare beneficiaries in connection with any of the false orders submitted, without regard to whether the beneficiaries needed the genetic testing.”
Thu allegedly acknowledged in a single order that the check outcomes would “determine [a] patient’s medical management and treatment decision,” prompting a third-party lab to invoice Medicare for over $24,052, based on charging paperwork.
In December 2021, Thu was indicted on one rely of conspiracy to commit well being care fraud and one rely of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The worldwide telemedicine healthcare fraud and kickback scheme, involving “compound medications and durable medical equipment,” included Thu and three “high-level” workers of a telemedicine firm, based on the then US Performing Lawyer for New Jersey.
That scheme precipitated roughly $37 million in losses to TRICARE, Medicare and personal medical insurance corporations.
