An Indian-origin physician has been found guilty of healthcare fraud and unlawful distribution of controlled substances in US where he has been sentenced to 14 years in jail.
That is why the Pennsylvania-based physician would often oblige his patients to take bags of sedatives that were not even useful to them to get insurance proceeds.
Indian-Origin Doctor Neil K Anand Jailed For 14 Years
Healthcare fraud was an earlier conviction against Neil K Anand. The 48-year-old is ordered to pay in excess of 2 million restitution as well as in excess of 2 million forfeiture as per a release of the US Department of Justice.
Dr. Anand had plotted to file false and fraudulent claims with health plans offered by Medicare, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Independence Blue Cross (IBC) and Anthem, on fraudulent claims of Goody Bags of medically unnecessary prescription drugs, which were dispensed under in-house pharmacies he owned. Overall, the reimbursements made by Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem amounted to more than 2.4 million.
Moreover, the Indian-origin physician also signed in prescriptions beforehand that gave his interns an opportunity to prescribe medicines, despite the fact that they were not even licensed. Dr. Anand distributed Oxycodone in non-medical practice and outside the normal medical practice as part of his plot to get the patients to accept the unwanted Goody Bags.
One of the substances that has contributed to the drug epidemic experienced in the United States is an opioid painkiller that is highly addictive, Oxycodone.
Massive Healthcare Fraud In US
The investigation has found out that medical interns (not licensed) were filling in prescriptions of controlled substances on blank forms which had been pre-signed by Dr. Anand. In this scheme, the physician ordered 20850 Oxycodone pills to a number of patients.
After discovering that he is under investigation, Dr. Anand deposited around 1.2 million dollars in an account where the name of a relative was put and in the name of a young relative.
Denying all accusations, Dr. Anand and his family have emphasized on him as a man who attended to the victims of the 9/11 attacks in New York in the year 2001. The family of the doctor said that his empathy to patients was criminalised unjustly.
The US District Judge Chad F Kenney declared that Anand had become motivated by greed and shoddy profits and not the demands of his patients. And their agony brought you pleasure. During this time, you had not been concentrated on treating your patients, Kenney said.
Dr. Anand was found guilty in April of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, one count of money laundering, four counts of illegal monetary transactions, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The Indian-origin physician had also worked in the US Navy as a doctor.
