Tech & Innovation in Healthcare

Question: I’ve read several stories of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigating practices for Medicare fraud. Have any practices been investigated for committing identity theft?

Texas Subscriber

Answer: Yes, there have been cases where practices, facilities, and providers have been investigated for or even convicted of identity theft. For example, a nurse practitioner (NP) in Georgia recently was found guilty of healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft, and other counts. As part of the nationwide Operation Brace Yourself initiative, authorities found the NP signed unnecessary orders for orthotic braces for patients she never examined or spoke to. The NP faces up to two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, up to 10 years in prison for each count of healthcare fraud, and up to five years in prison on all other counts — as well as fines and penalties.

In total, the NP facilitated orders for more than 3,000 braces that resulted in more than $3 million in fraudulent or excessive charges to Medicare. The NP also signed their name to false medical records and created orders for braces in exchange for money. The false orders were sold to companies that generated reimbursement from Medicare