$1.1M Medicaid Kickback Scheme Snags Bucks Co. Woman

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Bucks County woman has been charged in a home care fraud kickback scheme that caused a nearly $1.1 million Medicaid loss, federal authorities said.

Hemal Patel, 59, of Bensalem, was charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, in connection with a home care fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced.

Patel is alleged to have received kickbacks to refer home care patients to home care agencies. Patel and others devised a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicaid for home care services that were never provided, resulting in a loss to Medicaid of about $1,069,384.38, authorities said.

Patel forged doctor signatures on forms required to certify individuals as eligible for home care services, and unlawfully used individuals’ personally identifiable information without their knowledge to enroll them for home care services they were not entitled to while those individuals were living out of the country, authorities said.

The charges by U.S. Attorney Metcalf are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances.

The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets, in connection with the takedown, authorities said.