Adelina Herrero, Medicare Fraud Scheme, Michigan 2010

State: Michigan
Category: Fraud &#038; Financial Crimes
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/physician-pleads-guilty-role-indetroit-area-medicare-fraud-scheme" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

Michigan physician Adelina Herrero, 72, of Ann Arbor, has pleaded guilty to her role in a $7 million Medicare fraud scheme.

Herrero admitted to conspiring with others to refer Medicare beneficiaries to Advance Home Health Care Services Inc. and Perfect Home Health Care Services LLP, both owned by co-conspirators, between April 2010 and April 2013.

She signed medical documents, including home health care certifications and plans of care, falsely certifying that the beneficiaries were under her care and required home health care. Herrero knew the documents would be used to support false claims to Medicare and received kickback payments from a co-conspirator in exchange for her services.

The false and fraudulent claims to Medicare total approximately $1,382,208 in billings for home health services and physician services, of which Medicare paid $1,321,372.

Herrero pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman in the Eastern District of Michigan to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. This case is being prosecuted by Special Trial Attorney Katie R. Fink and Trial Attorney Patrick J. Hurford of the Fraud Section.

Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion.

Related Federal Cases