By Khalida Sarwari
A pair of Saratoga doctors face several years in prison after they were convicted of providing false billing statements to health care benefit programs.
On Dec. 14, a federal jury convicted Vilasini Ganesh, 47, of five counts of health care fraud and five counts of making false statements relating to claims fraudulently submitted to health care benefit programs. Gregory Belcher, 56, was found guilty of one count of making a false statement relating to a health care benefit program, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement.
Both doctors were acquitted of conspiracy and money laundering counts. Belcher was additionally acquitted of four other health care fraud counts and one other count of making a false statement relating to a health care benefit program.
The verdicts were handed down following an eight-week jury trial where evidence indicated that Ganesh submitted fraudulent claims to several health care benefit programs for services that she knew were not properly payable, by including claims for days when the patient had not been seen by the provider and claims that the patients had been seen by another physician provider who was no longer affiliated with her practice.
The evidence against Belcher revealed he had on at least one occasion submitted a false claim in connection with a billing matter related to his physical therapy practice.
The prosecution was the result of a two-year investigation by the FBI. In July, a federal grand jury indicted the defendants, charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple counts of health care fraud and giving a false statement relating to health care matters.
The penalty for each count ranges from five to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine in addition to any applicable restitution. A sentencing hearing for the doctors has been scheduled for April.
Link:
Saratoga doctors in trouble for submitting false billing statements
