The former co-owner of the Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Spine & Sports pleaded guilty to his role in a $4.4 million healthcare fraud scheme, according to WAFB.
Five notes:
1. Pain management physician John Eastham Clark, MD, who co-owned the spine center, and Charlene Severio allegedly submitted millions of dollars of false claims to Medicare and private insurance companies.
2. Investigators claimed the two would submit claims for minor surgical procedures that happened on different days than the patient visits. Dr. Clark and Ms. Serverio also allegedly told employees to create false records to support their fraud scheme.
3. Both Dr. Clark and Ms. Serverio were accused of submitting false claims to receive reimbursement for medically unnecessary urinalysis tests.
4. Dr. Clark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. His sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
5. Ms. Severio pleaded guilty to one count of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud as well as two counts of the indictment charging healthcare fraud. Her sentencing has not been scheduled.