In a joint effort, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has shut down Lawrence B. Iken, DPM, LLC. For healthcare fraud. Lawrence B. Iken, DPM, has plead guilty to charges including submission of false documents, reimbursement claims.
From 2006 through July 2014, Dr. Iken along with his company were independently contracted with Preferred Podiatry Group, Inc. (PPG). Dr. Iken’s company, Lawrence B. Iken, DPM, LLC., had offices in Manchester and Creve Coeur, Mo. PPG provided podiatric care to various nursing homes and long term medical care facilities in Missouri, along with five other states. Iken would regularly bill Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies abscesses incision and drainage, along with hematomas; all the while only clipping the toenails of patients.
United States District Judge Ronald L. White accepted sixty-five year old Iken’s plea of guilty to one count of felony healthcare fraud; sentencing has been set for April 17, 2015. Iken agreed to a money judgment of $999,170, which would be a reimbursement Iken and his company received from the healthcare claims. Iken faces the max of 10 years and/or a fine of $250,000. The company is looking at a fine of up to $500,000.
Fraudsters are quick to take advantage of the elderly. Nursing homes are a prime location for those who want to take advantage of government contracts and inattentive patients. You want to know your loved ones are safe while they are at a nursing home. Healthcare fraud includes anyone who knowingly and willingly attempts to execute a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or obtain, by fraudulent representation, custody or control of any healthcare benefit program.
Our experienced attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth have years of recovering money from those taking advantage of nursing homes. Those participating in the fraud cost nursing facilities hundreds of thousands of dollars, putting pressure on its patients and their families. If a loved one has been the victim of a fraudulent healthcare scheme, please give us a call at (314) 300-3000 or (800) 391-4318 for a no-obligation assessment of your potential fraud claim.
**The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.**
**Past results do not serve as a guarantee of future results.**
**The information on this St. Louis personal injury website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.**