A Louisiana man pleaded guilty to his role in a $3.8 million fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary medical equipment and physician kickbacks, the Justice Department said in a June 5 news release.
What happened?
- From 2018 to 2023, Michael Riggins, owner of West Monroe, La.-based supply company Bluewater Healthcare, paid for physician’s orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and tricked physicians into signing orders of medical necessity to bill for it.
- Despite receiving hundreds of complaints regarding the scheme, Mr. Riggins submitted more than $3.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and was reimbursed more than $1.8 million.
What’s next?
- Mr. Riggins, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
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