Salomon Melgen, Embattled Bob Menendez Donor, Indicted On Medicare Fraud MIAMI, April 14 (Reuters) - Florida doctor Salomon Melgen, who has been charged with corruption along with New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, was indicted on Tuesday on Medicare fraud charges, the U.S. Attorney's office in Miami said.
Melgen, 61, an ophthalmologist and retina specialist in North Palm Beach, was charged with 46 counts of healthcare fraud, as well as 19 counts of fraudulent claims, and 11 counts of making false statements relating to health care, prosecutors said in a statement.
Menendez and Melgen, who are close friends, were both charged in an alleged political corruption conspiracy earlier this month in New Jersey.
Tuesday's indictment alleged that between 2004 and 2013, Melgen participated in a scheme to defraud Medicare and other healthcare benefit programs, by submitting false claims and creating fraudulent entries on patients' medical charts, according to prosecutors.
"Melgen is alleged to have falsely diagnosed patients with serious eye conditions, notably age-related macular degeneration (ARMD or AMD) and retinal disorders," it said.
Melgen is also alleged to have made "exorbitant and improper profits" from prescribing the drug Lucentis, which is used for the treatment of macular degeneration.
"The defendant would purchase the drug from the manufacturer, Genentech, arrange to have the 'single-use' vials split into multiple doses and administered to multiple patients, many of whom were falsely diagnosed ... and then separately bill Medicare and other health care providers at the reimbursement rate for each full dosage," the statement said. (Reporting By David Adams; Editing by Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler)
Melgen, 61, an ophthalmologist and retina specialist in North Palm Beach, was charged with 46 counts of healthcare fraud, as well as 19 counts of fraudulent claims, and 11 counts of making false statements relating to health care, prosecutors said in a statement.
Menendez and Melgen, who are close friends, were both charged in an alleged political corruption conspiracy earlier this month in New Jersey.
Tuesday's indictment alleged that between 2004 and 2013, Melgen participated in a scheme to defraud Medicare and other healthcare benefit programs, by submitting false claims and creating fraudulent entries on patients' medical charts, according to prosecutors.
"Melgen is alleged to have falsely diagnosed patients with serious eye conditions, notably age-related macular degeneration (ARMD or AMD) and retinal disorders," it said.
Melgen is also alleged to have made "exorbitant and improper profits" from prescribing the drug Lucentis, which is used for the treatment of macular degeneration.
"The defendant would purchase the drug from the manufacturer, Genentech, arrange to have the 'single-use' vials split into multiple doses and administered to multiple patients, many of whom were falsely diagnosed ... and then separately bill Medicare and other health care providers at the reimbursement rate for each full dosage," the statement said. (Reporting By David Adams; Editing by Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler)
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