Florida man pleads guilty to fraud
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:32 AM CDT, Thu August 24, 2023
TRENTON, N.J. – Patrick Fitchner of Orlando, Fla., pleaded guilty Aug. 22 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in Trenton federal court. Fitchner and his conspirators solicited and received kickbacks and bribes in exchange for providing DME companies with completed doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME, such as orthotic braces, using telemedicine companies to obtain the prescriptions. The DME orders were subsequently fraudulently billed to Medicare and other health care benefit programs. Fitchner and his conspirators were paid approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks for these DME orders and caused losses to Medicare and other health care benefit programs of at least $3.6 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2024.
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