(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today that a Westerville man accused of fraudulently billing Medicaid will have to repay approximately $214,000.
Paul Brockman, 42, of Columbus was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to one year in prison. He will also have to pay Medicaid $214,018.92 in restitution.
Attorney General DeWine announced the sentence today along with Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lamont Pugh, Special Agent in Charge; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and the Office of Inspector General.
Brockman, the owner of Midwest Medical Equipment in Westerville, pleaded guilty to a charge of Making False Statements Involving Health Care in May after he was accused of falsely billing Medicaid.
“This man was selling used medical equipment to care recipients and then billing Medicaid as if the equipment was brand new,” said Attorney General DeWine. “Now he must repay that money down to the last cent.”
According to court documents, Brockman frequently billed Medicaid for "new" durable medical equipment when he was providing Medicaid recipients with "used" durable medical equipment. The fraudulent billing occurred when customers passed away and the deceased's family sold their equipment back to Midwest Medical. Brockman would provide the same piece of equipment to a new customer and bill the item to Medicaid Program as "new" equipment.
Brockman also billed the Medicaid program for medical equipment that he either never provided to recipients or provided years after having received payment from the Medicaid program.
Medicaid is a federally funded, state-administered government insurance program that provides health care coverage to low-income individuals and families.
People can report suspected Medicaid fraud to the Attorney General's office by calling 800-282-0515 or visiting www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Affeldt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Constance Nearhood with Attorney General DeWine's Office. The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the HHS-OIG and the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Media Contacts:
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