NYC Eye Doctor Ordered To Pay $2.4M, Billed Numerous False Claims

BROOKLYN, NY — A New York City eye doctor has settled a civil lawsuit for $2.4 million after he billed false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid for a number of procedures, tests, and other services that were either unnecessary or could not have been performed because the doctor was not in his office, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Sheldon Rabin took advantage of elderly and non-English speaking patients. Rabin was based in Brooklyn and Queens.

From 2013 through 2016, Rabin improperly submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for treatments that were unnecessary by manipulating patient test readings to create an appearance of a need for certain eye care services, prosecutors said.

In reality, the patients’ test readings came back clean.

Rabin and others has also agreed to pay over $73,850 to New York State to resolve claims under New York State’s False Claims Act, prosecutors said.

“As alleged, the defendants took advantage of our district's older residents and other
vulnerable individuals in defrauding the Medicare and Medicaid programs for their own personal
gain,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “As this settlement makes clear, our Office will protect the
integrity of government health care programs and pursue providers who enrich themselves
through fraud.