Saratoga, Calif.-based orthopedic surgeon Gregory Belcher, MD, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison for making a false statement to a healthcare benefit program, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Here are five things to know.
1. Dr. Belcher was sentenced after an eight-week trial in which he and his wife and office partner, Vilasani Ganesh, MD, were convicted of healthcare fraud. Dr. Belcher submitted a false billing claim related to the physical therapy practice he conducted from the Saratoga offices of the Campbell Medical Group.
2. Dr. Ganesh submitted false and fraudulent claims to several healthcare benefit programs for services she knew were not properly payable, such as claims for days when a patient had not been seen by the provider. Dr. Ganesh also submitted claims for patients who had been seen by a physician no longer affiliated with her practice.
3. The jury convicted Dr. Belcher of one count of healthcare fraud. Dr. Ganesh was convicted of five counts of healthcare fraud and five counts of making false statements.
4. In addition to the prison term, Dr. Belcher was sentenced to a three-year term of supervised release. He will begin serving his sentence June 6.
5. The prosecution is a result of an FBI investigation.
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