Anna Steiner, Health Care Fraud, New York 2019
An anesthesiologist in New York has been indicted for her alleged role in a $7 million telemedicine health care fraud conspiracy.
Anna Steiner, 63, of Valatie, New York, was arraigned on an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit health care fraud for her alleged role in a telemedicine scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicare Part D plans and private insurance plans.
Steiner was previously arrested on a complaint in April 2019, and was arraigned this morning before United States District Judge I. Leo Glasser.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations (HHS OIG), announced the indictment.
“As alleged, Steiner claimed to provide telemedicine services to patients, but in reality, her telecare was a fiction and the claims submitted to Medicare unnecessary and fraudulent,” said United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue vigorously investigating and prosecuting health care professionals who seek personal enrichment by stealing from a taxpayer-funded program.”
“Fraud against both public and private health care plans is not a victimless crime—the cost of doing business is ultimately transferred to members and taxpayers alike,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “More importantly, prescribing medication and medical equipment to patients for the sole purpose of turning a profit is not only unethical, it’s dangerous business. Today’s indictment is a victory for the FBI and our partners, the public at large, and those in the medical community who operate within the confines of the law.”
When physicians boost their profits by billing federal health care programs for medically unnecessary services, the Office of Inspector General, along with our law enforcement partners, will thoroughly investigate such deceptive schemes,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Lampert.
The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force under the supervision by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Trial Attorney Andrew Estes of the Fraud Section is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ANNA STEINER (also known as “Hanna Wasielewska”)
Age: 63
Valatie, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-295 (ILG)
Facts:
Mandatory facts:
Defendant/respondent: ANNA STEINER
Criminal charges: conspiracy to commit health care fraud
City and state: Brooklyn, New York
Date: April 2019
Amounts: $7 million in claims submitted to Medicare, $3 million paid by Medicare
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →