government
Washington state doctor sentenced for health care fraud
Posted April 9, 2012
A family physician in Washington state who was convicted on 24 counts of health care fraud was sentenced in March to 151 months in prison.
Antoine Johnson, MD, whose medical license since has been revoked, was accused in 2009 of prescribing narcotic pain medications to patients who were not examined, as well as making fraudulent billing claims to Medicaid, according to the Dept. of Justice.
Dr. Johnson was the only medical doctor employed by four medical clinics in the Aberdeen, Wash., area. Evidence at trial showed that the clinics consistently billed for a higher level of service than was provided, the Justice Dept. said. Dr. Johnson closed his clinics shortly after the government began its investigation and fled the country, but he was captured in Madagascar and brought back to the United States. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Dr. Johnson and his mother were convicted in November 2011 after a three-week trial. During their sentencing, the two also were ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution for the health care fraud and filing false income tax returns.
An attorney for Dr. Johnson could not be located for comment.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/09/gvbf0409.htm.
