A conviction for health care fraud isn’t the only criminal penalty that awaits someone involved in Medicare fraud.
Theft of government property is another possibility, a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) press release reveals.
William Henry, the former owner and CEO of a Hartselle, Ala. company that provided chronic care management (CCM) services has been sentenced to two years’ probation and fined $4,000 for “aiding and abetting the theft of government property,”
according to the May 2 press release.
The indictment alleges that in 2016, Henry entered into an agreement with Dr. Gilberto Sanchez, a Montgomery physician who has subsequently pleaded guilty to drug distribution, health care fraud, and money laundering charges. Under that agreement, MyPractice24 would provide various kickbacks to Dr. Sanchez and his staff in return for the providers at Dr. Sanchez’s practice referring Medicare beneficiaries to MyPractice24 for chronic care management services.
Henry was accused of an extensive list of kickbacks including giving:
- Direct payments to a staff member.
- Free CCM services.
- Free medical billing services.
- Free clinical services unrelated to CCM.
In addition, the DOJ had alleged that Henry helped Sanchez pay kickbacks — in the form of blanket copay waivers — to patients who enrolled in the CCM program.
Henry faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison “significant monetary penalties, asset forfeiture, and restitution,” the DOJ wrote last year.