Many Georgia residents and others around the nation seek the treatment of chiropractors for relief of back pain and other spinal issues. Much of this chiropractic treatment is covered by the patients’ medical insurance. Recently, two Georgia chiropractors were charged in federal court with conspiracy and insurance fraud after allegedly submitting false claims to providers.
A 38-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman have practiced at a chiropractic clinic in Marietta for the past three years, according to reports. They purportedly filed claims to private health insurance companies for procedures that were never conducted. The allegations have come following investigations by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit. Also involved in the case were the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and the Atlanta Police Department.
The two chiropractors are accused of using personal information from their clients. They supposedly submitted this information in claims to insurance companies for services that were never performed. According to the reports, there were occasions where the patients that were supposedly being treated were out of the country at the time of the service.
In addition, the man and woman were on a vacation cruise when they allegedly claimed to have treated almost 300 patients at their clinic. The indictment states that the woman attempted to evade bank reporting guidelines by making withdrawals of less than $10,000. The man supposedly purchased a motorcycle and a luxury car with part of the money from the insurance claims.
Insurance fraud is a serious crime in Georgia and across the country. If convicted of similar charges, a person could face time in jail and be required to pay fines and/or restitution to the victims. Someone facing those charges should seek the advice of an experienced criminal defense lawyer. A knowledgeable attorney will help clients understand the charges against them and present a defense designed to minimize the negative impact on their lives.
Source: 11alive.com, “Marietta chiropractors indicted for fraud scheme“, Ryan Dennis, Oct. 11, 2017