US Indian couple charged with health care fraud

IANS

Washington: An Indian American couple working as doctors in the Houston area have been charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with health care fraud and conspiracy to defraud Medicare and Medicaid and the conspiracy to unlawfully dispense and distribute controlled substances.

Dr Arun Sharma and his wife, Dr Kiran Sharma, both 54, are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to unlawfully dispense and distribute controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, the FBI said.

Dr Kiran Sharma was taken into federal custody on Wednesday and will remain in custody for an appearance before a US Magistrate Judge. A warrant is still pending for her husband's arrest, according to the FBI.

According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, the Sharmas operate the Allergy, Asthma, Arthritis and Pain Centres in Webster and in Baytown, Texas.

Records obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) demonstrate that Dr Arun Sharma had allegedly prescribed 615,671 tablets of hydrocodone (Vicodan), 66,000 tablets of alprazolam (Xanax), and 26,000 tablets of diazepam (Valium) between September 1, 2008 and May 22, 2009, the FBI said.

After conducting an enforcement action last week at the two pain clinics and at the couple's residence, the FBI found $700,000 in cash at the residence, while $816,000 in cash was found in the two safe deposit boxes allegedly accessed only by Dr Kiran Sharma, the FBI said.

The affidavit alleges that Dr Arun Sharma charged as much as $100 cash per hydrocodone prescription. A significant percentage of the $1.5 million in cash seized was in $20 dollar denominations and packaged in letter size envelopes, each secured with a rubber band and then placed in numerous plastic bags.

Dr Kiran Sharma, according to allegations in the complaint, handled all of the finances for the clinics including the incoming money and the payment of bills.

Both doctors were also charged in conspiracy to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of more than $8.7 million for facet joint injections that were never performed. Facet joint injections are primarily diagnostic injections commonly used to determine what is causing back pain.

Both conspiracy to defraud Medicare and Medicaid and the conspiracy to unlawfully dispense and distribute controlled substances carry a penalty of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.