Medicare Milked: Docs in Sanexas Scam

⏱ 3 min read

Chiropractor Michael Glickert of St. Louis and emergency room physician Joseph Novof are facing federal charges after allegedly fleecing Medicare out of millions. The pair, operating clinics nationwide since late 2018, pushed unapproved electrical nerve stimulation using a device called Sanexas neoGEN, paired with medically unnecessary vitamin injections, then billed the government for the whole sham.

Glickert wasn’t just treating patients; he allegedly built the fraud, crafting the billing scheme even after acknowledging Medicare didn’t cover the Sanexas treatments. Prosecutors say he then peddled this scheme to other clinics. Novof, as Medical Director for Vanguard Clinic and two other locations, allegedly signed off on the vitamin injections without knowing their ingredients, essentially rubber-stamping a scam.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in Philadelphia hasn’t revealed the total haul, but sources say the scheme was widespread. Federal healthcare programs don’t reimburse for outpatient electrical nerve stimulation for pain or vitamin shots linked to those treatments. Still, the pair allegedly pushed ahead, distributing Sanexas devices and pocketing the cash.

This isn’t the first Sanexas-related case. The DOJ has been cracking down on similar schemes across the country. Prosecutors are now pursuing penalties under the False Claims Act, meaning Glickert and Novof could face massive fines and jail time if convicted. The case is ongoing.