A Los Angeles physician was indicted today for a $33 million scheme to defraud Medicare, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. of the Central District of California, Special Agent in Charge Glenn R. Ferry of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) for the Los Angeles Region and Assistant Director in Charge Bill L. Lewis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Robert A. Glazer, 67, of Los Angeles, California, was indicted in the Central District of California and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to court documents, Glazer operated a medical clinic located in Los Angeles. From approximately January 2006 through May 2014, Glazer allegedly billed Medicare for services that were not medically necessary, and at times were not provided to the Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, Glazer allegedly signed prescriptions, certifications, and other medical documents for medically unnecessary home health services, hospice services, and power wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment (DME). Glazer’s co-conspirators then sold the prescriptions and certifications to DME supply companies, home health agencies, and other providers, knowing that the prescriptions and certifications were fraudulent. Based on these fraudulent prescriptions and certifications, the DME supply companies, home health agencies, and other providers then allegedly submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.
As further alleged in court documents, from approximately January 2006 through May 2014, fraudulent prescriptions and certifications from Glazer were responsible for approximately $33,484,779 in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, and Medicare paid approximately $22,056,332 on those claims.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Fred Medick and Blanca Quintero of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 1,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov .