Miami Home Health Boss Pleads Guilty in $6.2M Medicare Fraud

MIAMI – Ernesto Fernandez, the owner and operator of Professional Medical Home Health LLC (Professional Home Health), has pleaded guilty for his role in a massive $6.2 million Medicare fraud scheme, officials announced.

Fernandez, 48, of Miami, admitted to conspiring to commit health care fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Chris M. McAliley of the Southern District of Florida. As per his plea agreement, he agreed to forfeit $9,061,867 related to his criminal conduct, with sentencing scheduled for February 3, 2015.

The Miami home health care agency boss was accused of orchestrating fraudulent billing practices at Professional Home Health and two other South Florida agencies. He falsified patient documentation, supervised personnel, and planned the submission of claims for services that were not necessary or provided.

In addition to his role in Professional Home Health, Fernandez was a patient recruiter for the three agencies, obtaining kickbacks in exchange for recruiting patients for unnecessary home health and therapy services.

This case is part of the ongoing Medicare Fraud Strike Force operation, which has charged nearly 2,000 defendants responsible for over $6 billion in fraudulent billing since its inception in 2007. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated this scheme, and sentencing hearings for five other defendants are set for January 29.

For more on health care fraud investigations, visit the Health Care Fraud website.