SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Ten people with ties to Puerto Rican health care companies have been accused in two Medicare fraud schemes totaling more than $2 million, federal officials said Thursday.
In the first case, three companies allegedly filed nearly 2,000 claims from November 2008 to May 2011 for medical equipment that wasn't needed, said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez.
The companies sought more than $4 million in claims and obtained more than $1.95 million from Medicare in return, she said. The companies were identified as Monte Mar Health Corporation, PROMEDS and Quality and were bought by a couple charged in the case.
Rodriguez said the second case involves a company identified as Preferred Medical Equipment. She said that from April 2010 to March 2011, the company filed at least 95 fake claims totaling more than $210,000 and obtained $107,000 from Medicare.
A federal grand jury indicted the suspects on Jan. 12 on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. They face up 10 years in prison if found guilty.
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