Pennsylvania
News Archive: 2009 Quick Reference: July 6, 2011 –Convicted Carbondale Physician Excluded From Participation in All Federal Health Care ProgramsGonzales Woman Sentenced for Fraud Gonzales Woman Sentenced for Fraud – Read More September 16, 2010 - Health Club Operator Sentenced for Health Care Fraud – Read More May 05, 2010 - Physician Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Health Care Fraud – Read More January 12, 2010 - Pittsburgh Physician Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud - Read More |  |
Convicted Carbondale Physician Excluded From Participation in All Federal Health Care Programs
Scranton - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services announced today that a Carbondale physician previously indicted and sentenced on health care fraud charges has been notified he is excluded from participation in all federal health care programs.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, in July 2007, Gregory Salko, the owner-operator of the Whites Crossing Medical Group in Carbondale, was charged by an Indictment with two counts of Health Care Fraud and 17 counts of False Statements in Health Care Matters. The charges related to Salko's treatment and falsification of medical records pertaining to two elderly Medicare patients in 2005 and 2006.
On June 30, 2009, Salko pleaded guilty to a two-count, misdemeanor Superceding Information. Salko admitted that he made false representations of material facts in a July 17, 2005 progress note he prepared for one of his elderly Medicare patients and that he committed a criminal violation of the HIPAA Privacy Act by falsely representing in writing to the Community Medical Center in Scranton on April 3, 2007, that he was authorized to obtain the medical records of another elderly Medicare patient.
On October 26, 2009, Salko was sentenced by United States District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo to a two year term of probation, 100 hours of community service and was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
Assistant United States Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel prosecuted Salko.
On May 31, 2011, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services notified Salko that as a consequence of his conviction he will be excluded from participation in any capacity in Medicare, Medicaid, and all Federal health care programs for the minimum statutory period of five years. The exclusion will effect Salko's ability to claim payment from those programs for items or services rendered.
"Dr. Gregory Salko made false statements to the Medicare program when he created false documentation of a physical exam that never happened" said Nicholas DiGiulio Special Agent in Charge for the Philadelphia Regional Office of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health of Human Services. "As required by law, we will continue to prevent individuals convicted of Medicare fraud from participation in all Federal health care programs".
Health Club Operator Sentenced for Health Care Fraud
Philadelphia – Michael Karp, 39, of Bala Cynwyd, PA, was sentenced Sept. 13, 2010, to six months in prison and community service of 100 hours per year for each of three years for his role in a $1.9 million scheme to defraud Independence Blue Cross (“IBC”), announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Karp was co-owner of the Hatfield Athletic Club ("HAC") and Rehab One, a chiropractic and rehabilitation facility located inside the club, in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. Karp and co-defendant Mark Levin hired Dr. Raymond Brozek, a chiropractor, to work at Rehab One from approximately 2004 through 2006. In total, the information alleged that the defendants caused the submission of fraudulent medical bills to IBC totaling approximately $1.9 million, resulting in payments from IBC totaling approximately $399,822. All three defendants pleaded to one count of health care fraud. Levin and Brozek are awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Gene E.K. Pratter ordered Karp to pay restitution in the amount of $399,882.85 and a fine of $10,000.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.
Physician Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Health Care Fraud (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania)
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania - Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced May 5, 2010, that Dr. John D. Kristofic, a resident of Allegheny County, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to one year in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of health care fraud.
United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Kristofic, age 62, of 5301 Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney, between January of 2003 and August of 2008, Dr. Kristofic submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare and to his patients’ health insurers for medical services which he never rendered. During that time, Dr. Kristofic was paid in excess of $1 million for the fraudulent claims which he had submitted. As part of the plea, Dr. Kristofic paid $3,303,188 to the government as restitution for the fraudulent claims and the costs of the government’s investigation.
The recommended range of sentencing under the United States Sentencing Guidelines was 33 to 41 months of imprisonment. However, Judge Ambrose varied from that recommended range based on Dr. Kristofic’s history of working as a volunteer, including his history of treating homeless people in the Pittsburgh area and providing free medical care to needy persons in Haiti.
Mr. Cessar commended the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kristofic.
Pittsburgh Physician Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania)
Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced on January 12, 2009, that a Pittsburgh physician has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of health care fraud.
Dr. John D. Kristofic, age 61, of 5301 Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to the charge before United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, Assistant United States Attorneys Phillip O’Connor and Shaun Sweeney advised the Court that, between January 2003 and August 2008, Dr. Kristofic submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare and to his patients’ health insurers for medical services which he never rendered. During that time, Dr. Kristofic was paid in excess of $1 million for the fraudulent claims which he had submitted. As part of the plea, Dr. Kristofic has agreed to pay $3,303,188 to the government, which is three times the amount of money paid to Kristofic for the fraudulent claims.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting all forms of health care fraud using both criminal and civil means,” said U.S. Attorney Cessar. “Health care dollars paid for fraudulently billed services to Medicare takes away from individuals who honestly need care.”
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dr. Kristofic.
