Dr. Omeed Memar, Health Insurance Fraud, Illinois 2017

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Chicago Dermatologist Convicted of Health Insurance Fraud

CHICAGO, IL – Dr. Omeed Memar, 48, a Chicago dermatologist, has been convicted on federal fraud charges for billing health insurance programs for medically unnecessary treatments.

According to court documents, from 2007 to 2013, Dr. Memar submitted claims to multiple health insurance programs, falsely claiming that his treatments were medically necessary to treat actinic keratosis, a pre-cancerous condition. However, evidence presented at trial revealed that many of his patients did not actually have the condition.

The conviction includes eight counts of health care fraud and eight counts of making false statements in a health care matter. U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber set sentencing for September 28, 2017.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.

Dr. Memar owned and operated the Academic Dermatology & Skin Cancer Institute in Chicago. Evidence presented at trial revealed that he had instructed his employees to create patient charts that made it appear as though the treatments had destroyed large numbers of actinic keratosis lesions on patients’ faces, even though the treatments were identical to cosmetic treatments.

During the trial, multiple patients testified that they were never told they had actinic keratosis lesions and that they believed the intense-pulse light treatments were for reasons different from how they were billed. Three of Dr. Memar’s former employees who performed the intense-pulse treatments also testified that they followed Dr. Memar’s instructions to create patient charts that made it appear as though the treatments had destroyed large numbers of actinic keratosis lesions.

The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of 120 years in prison.

Dr. Memar’s conviction is a significant blow to the medical community, highlighting the importance of transparency and honesty in healthcare billing practices.