Post by Scumhunter on Jun 19, 2020 3:22:12 GMT -5
Above photo credit: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General website)
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)- Office of Inspector General (OIG) website):
On November 29, 2012, Ram Naresh Rajulapati was indicted on charges of healthcare fraud conspiracy, healthcare fraud, and criminal forfeiture. Investigators believe that Rajulapati and co-conspirators received approximately $2.3 million from Medicare in reimbursement for physical therapy and nursing services that were not rendered and/or were not medically necessary.
According to the indictment, Rajulapati was a licensed physical therapist who worked at Acure Home Care, Inc., a Michigan-based home health agency that purportedly provided in-home physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, and/or skilled nursing services to patients. Acure was owned and operated by Mehran Javidan, and physical therapist Vishnu Pradeep Meda also worked at Acure. Both Javidan and Meda were convicted at trial on April 2, 2013, for their participation in the Medicare fraud scheme, and they are awaiting sentencing.
According to evidence presented at their trial, Javidan paid doctors to refer non-homebound patients for physical therapy treatment that was medically unnecessary. The evidence showed that she also paid patient recruiters to obtain Medicare information and pre-signed physical therapy documents from Medicare beneficiaries. The recruiters obtained the Medicare information and pre-signed forms by paying patients in cash and by promising that the referring doctors would prescribe narcotics for them. Javidan allegedly paid co-conspirators more than $140,000 in kickbacks and bribes for the patients and patient information.
Rajulapati, Meda, and other physical therapists and physical therapy assistants employed by Acure allegedly created false physical therapy files to make it appear as if physical therapy services were actually rendered, when in fact, the services had not been rendered. They then submitted false claims to Medicare for the cost of physical therapy and other services purportedly provided to beneficiaries.
Authorities believe that Rajulapati fled the country and may be residing in India. He remains a fugitive at-large.
oig.hhs.gov/fraud/fugitives/profiles.asp#other-fugitives (scroll down for case)
Thoughts? As of this posting date (June 19th, 2020), Rajulapati remains listed as a wanted fugitive on the HHS-OIG website.
Admin Note #1: According to the HHS-OIG website, anyone having information on this fugitive should report a tip via the following link: tips.oig.hhs.gov/report-a-fugitive/create-complaint
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form