Two California hospice facility owners were arrested today in Los Angeles on criminal charges related to their alleged participation in a kickback and healthcare fraud scheme. According to court documents, Oganes Doganyan, 49, of Northridge, and Kristine Arutyunyan, 38, of Glendale, paid illegal kickbacks for the referral of Medicare beneficiary information that could be used to bill for purported hospice services. Doganyan and Arutyunyan also caused false and fraudulent claims to be billed to Medicare for hospice services that were medically unnecessary, not eligible for reimbursement, and not provided, including for services purportedly provided to Medicare beneficiaries who did not exist. Doganyan and Arutyunyan are charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and paying kickbacks. If convicted, Doganyan and Arutyunyan each face a maximum total penalty of 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
