One of 35 people charged in connection with a $2.1 billion health care fraud scheme owns a genetic testing laboratory in Lower Nazareth Township.

Dozens of telemedicine companies and cancer genetic testing labs allegedly billed Medicare for tests patients didnt need, according to a news release from federal authorities. The release calls the scheme one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged.

It involved the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes by genetic testing laboratories in exchange for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries by medical professionals working with fraudulent telemedicine companies for expensive cancer genetic tests that were medically unnecessary, the release says. The news release was issued Friday, Sept. 27.

Often, the test results were not provided to the beneficiaries or were worthless to their doctors, the release says.

Some of the defendants allegedly controlled a telemarketing network that lured hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled patients. They allegedly paid doctors to prescribe testing without any patient interaction or with only a brief phone conversation with patients they had never met or seen, the release says.

Among the defendants is Minal Patel, 40 of Atlanta, Georgia. He owns LabSolutions, which has offices in Georgia and at 3729 Easton Nazareth Highway in Lower Nazareth Township, records say. Hes charged with 13 federal crimes including health care fraud and conspiracy, records say. He was charged Tuesday, Sept. 24, and the indictment was unsealed Wednesday, Sept. 25, court records say.

Patel solicited medically unnecessary tests from Medicare beneficiaries through telemarketing and health fairs, records say.

LabSolutions allegedly billed Medicare for more than $494 million. In addition, the government seized approximately $30 million in bank accounts from Patel, a Ferrari and a Range Rover, the news release says.

Patels attorneys, Robyn Lynn Sztyndor of Coral Gables, Florida, and Steven H. Sadow, of Atlanta, didnt return messages seeking comment.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

See the article here:
Lower Nazareth lab linked to 1 of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged - lehighvalleylive.com

Comments are closed.