A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a physician on fraud charges for approving medically unnecessary tests that were billed to Medicare. While working for Chicago-based Grand Medical Clinic Inc., Dr. Omar Garcia, 52, authorized percutaneous allergen tests for numerous Medicare beneficiaries, knowing that the tests were not medically necessary. In most instances, Dr. Garcia issued his approval after the tests had already been completed. Dr. Garcia submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for payment of the unnecessary tests. Evidence at the five-day trial revealed that Dr. Garcia’s fraud scheme began in 2011 and continued until 2015. Dr. Garcia and others submitted the fraudulent bills from Grand Medical and other medical entities in an attempt to reduce the volume of billing by any single company and minimize scrutiny from Medicare. After the entities received payments from Medicare, Dr. Garcia was paid via checks reflecting his percentage of the payments. The jury convicted Dr. Garcia, of Ocala, Fla., and formerly of Wilmington, Ill., on all six counts of healthcare fraud. Each count is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Sentencing is set for May 6, 2020.
