94 charged with Medicare fraud

WASHINGTON, July 16 (UPI) -- Ninety-four people have been charged with billing Medicare for unnecessary and sometimes unprovided treatments, U.S. officials announced Friday.

Arrests were made in Miami, New York, Detroit and Baton Rouge, La., the Justice Department said. More arrests were expected.

The defendants named in indictments unsealed Friday allegedly bilked the government of $251 million in unjustified claims, officials said. They were charged with a variety of crimes, including conspiracy to defraud Medicare, making false claims and violations of laws against kickbacks.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said provisions of the healthcare reform law gave investigators new tools and increased the penalties for Medicare fraud. Previously, the government also created a task force to investigate Medicare fraud in 2009.

Those arrested include doctors, nurses, owners of healthcare companies and one medical biller believed to be responsible for $49 million in fraudulent claims.