On Tuesday October 11, 2011, the Department of Justice sentenced Mr. Bassey Monday Idiong, of Humble, Texas, to thirty-three months in prison for his role in a Medicare Fraud scheme.

The fraud involved billing  Medicare for expensive orthotics referred to as “arthritis kits” that were medically unnecessary.  Each arthritis kit cost approximately $4,000.  According to the Department of Justice’s press release dated October 12, 2011, court documents showed that Mr. Idiong billed Medicare for two such kits for a beneficiary that only had one leg.

Additionally, Mr. Idiong paid patient recruiters kickbacks in exchange for Medicare beneficiary names for whom Mr. Idiong would submit billing to Medicare.

In total Mr. Idiong, through his company B.I. Medical Supply L.L.C. billed Medicare approximately $846,000 in fraudulent charges.

In addition to Mr. Idiong’s prison term, he was also ordered to pay $527,023 in restitution.

As discussed in previous blogs, the home health industry is blatantly ripping off Medicare to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.  The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is slowly making inroads into this area of fraud.  With continued funding, and successful prosecution, this Strike Force may actually decrease the incidence in fraud in this health field industry.