Related Federal Cases
Nurse Practitioners Sentenced to Prison for Health Care Fraud
GREAT FALLS – In a shocking case of health care fraud, two Montana nurse practitioners have been sentenced to prison for conspiring to defraud Medicare of millions of dollars. Janae Nichole Harper, 34, of Kalispell, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, while Mark Allen Hill, 54, of Edinburg, North Dakota, received a sentence of 9 months in prison.
Both defendants will be placed on supervised release for 3 years after their release from prison. Additionally, Harper was ordered to pay $4,307,934.58 in restitution, while Hill was ordered to pay $5,054,866 in restitution.
Harper, a licensed nurse practitioner in Montana, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, and Wyoming, was enrolled as a medical provider with Medicare. Hill, also a licensed nurse practitioner, held licenses in Montana, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington.
According to court documents, Harper worked with staffing and telemedicine companies to commit health care fraud from November 18, 2017, through July 16, 2019. She received money to sign brace orders prepared by telemarketers with no medical training or certification. Harper signed approximately 7,673 brace orders, resulting in $8,259,849 billed to Medicare, with Medicare paying approximately $4,307,934.
Similarly, Hill worked with staffing and telemedicine companies to commit health care fraud from October 15, 2017, to April 24, 2019. He received money to sign unnecessary brace orders for Medicare beneficiaries, often without talking to them to determine medical necessity. Hill signed approximately 7,097 brace orders, resulting in $10,055,436 billed to Medicare, with Medicare paying approximately $5,054,866.
Both defendants previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Kakuk and Darren Halverson, Trial Attorney, and Robyn Pullio, former Trial Attorney, from the Fraud Section, Criminal Division. The cases were investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The sentencing of these two nurse practitioners serves as a stark reminder of the importance of holding medical professionals accountable for their actions. The millions of dollars bilked from Medicare could have been used to provide essential care to those in need. The Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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