Long Island Medical Doctor Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Medicare Billing Fraud Scheme | USAO-EDNY

Before these days, in federal courtroom in Central Islip, Morris Barnard, a gastroenterologist working towards in Good Neck, New York, was sentenced by United States District Choose Gary R. Brown to 30 months in jail for health treatment fraud. Barnard pleaded guilty to the demand in March 2022.  The Courtroom also ordered above $1.4 million in restitution to Medicare. 

Breon Peace, United States Legal professional for the Eastern District of New York and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Area Office environment (FBI) and Susan A. Frisco , Performing Exclusive Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Well being and Human Solutions, Office environment of Inspector Standard (HHS-OIG), declared the sentence.

“Today, Dr. Barnard uncovered the penalties for his greed-pushed scheme in which he took advantage of clients who are disabled and residing in residential team households by falsely billing Medicare for medical strategies on them that he under no circumstances essentially done,” stated United States Legal professional Peace.  “The defendant was not entitled to one particular penny of the $1.4 million in important community health and fitness care money that he pocketed and will now have to spend back as part of his sentence.” 

“As the defendant uncovered today, defrauding Medicare does not pay back – it has effects.  The FBI is fully commited to eradicating all fraud and techniques that abuse govt-sponsored well being care plans,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.

“Health treatment experts who fraudulently invoice Medicare for solutions hardly ever really provided divert taxpayer funding intended to pay for medically required providers for persons enrolled in Medicare,” stated Acting Special Agent in Demand Susan A. Frisco of HHS-OIG. “OIG will go on to operate with our legislation enforcement partners to secure the integrity of federal health treatment systems.”

From Oct 2015 by means of February 2020, the defendant submitted above $3 million in billings to Medicare for colonoscopy and gastroenterological treatments that were being not done.  Most of these billings indicated that the services were being rendered to disabled beneficiaries, who ended up dwelling in household team homes.  Medicare reimbursed approximately $1.4 million of these bogus promises, none of which the defendant was entitled to get.

The government’s circumstance is becoming prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor.

The Defendant:

Morris Barnard
Age:  59
Wonderful Neck, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-018(GRB)