Justice Department announces nationwide action on healthcare fraud enforcement

Editor's Note

On June 27, The Justice Department announced the 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, leading to criminal charges against 193 defendants, including 76 medical professionals across 32 federal districts in the U.S. for their involvement in various health care fraud schemes. These schemes accounted for approximately $2.75 billion in intended losses and $1.6 billion in actual losses. Including cash, luxury vehicles, and gold, seized assets’ worth totals more than $231 million.

Key aspects of the enforcement action include:

• Amniotic wound grafts: Four individuals charged for $900 million in false claims to Medicare for unnecessary treatments.
• Adderall distribution: Five defendants associated with Done Global Inc. charged for unlawfully distributing millions of Adderall pills without proper patient interaction.
• HIV medication fraud: Three executives charged for a $90 million scheme involving adulterated and misbranded HIV drugs.
• Addiction treatment fraud: Four defendants in Arizona and Florida charged for $146 million in false claims, exploiting vulnerable patients.
• Telemedicine and laboratory fraud: Thirty-six defendants charged for over $1.1 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare for unnecessary genetic tests and minimal patient interactions.
• Opioid prescription and distribution: Fourteen defendants charged with illegal prescription and distribution of opioids, and an additional 126 defendants involved in other fraudulent schemes totaling over $450 million in false claims.

The action was coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section with various federal and state law enforcement partners. According to the report, the investigation involved multiple federal and state agencies.