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Monday, February 7, 2011 – Daily News – 3B Health care fraud: Not a faceless crime any longer WASHINGTON (AP) — Health care fraud once was a faceless crime. Now it has a mug shot, even a smile. Medicare and Medic- aid scams cost taxpayers more than $60 billion a year, but bank holdups are more likely to get greater attention. The government wants the public’s help in trying to catch more than 170 fugitives want- ed for fraud, so it’s developed a new health care most-wanted list, with its own website — http://www.oig.hhs.gov . Most are dour; some sport smiles. One name on the list is Leonard Nwafor, con- victed in Los Angeles of billing Medicare more than $1 million for motorized wheelchairs that people didn’t need. One person who got a wheelchair was a blind man who later testified he couldn’t see to oper- ate it. Facing time in federal prison, Nwafor disap- peared before his sen- tencing. “We’re looking for new ways to press the issue of catching fugi- tives,” said Gerald Roy, deputy inspector general for investigations at the Health and Human Ser- vices Department. “If someone walks into a bank and steals $3,000 or $4,000, it would be all over the newspaper. These people manage to do it from a less high profile position, but they still have a tremendous impact.” Even though motor- ized wheelchairs can cost up to $7,000 apiece, Nawfor’s scam was on the low end when com- pared with others who made the most-wanted list. Sisters Clara and Caridad Guilarte allegedly submitted $9 million to Medicare in false and fraudulent claims for pricey infu- sion drugs that were never provided to patients. They are accused of offering cash and other rewards for beneficiaries to visit their clinic in Dearborn, Mich., and sign forms that said they received services that they never got. An alleged accom- plice was arrested in the Dominican Republic recently, but the sisters remain at large. Scammers “often uti- lize their ties to a partic- ular community,” said Roy. “They take advan- tage of ethnic communi- ties based on language barriers or lack of knowl- edge about how the Medicare system works. These folks are exploit- ing low-income commu- nities.” Fugitive Susan Bendi- go is accused of billing California’s Medicaid program for $17 million in nursing care, much of which was performed by staffers who weren’t licensed. A registered nurse, Bendigo was the nursing director for a company that provided personnel for home health agencies. Alleged- ly, she was fully aware that she was required to send licensed nurses to care for patients. Topping the list are Miami brothers Carlos, Luis and Jose Benitez. Owners of a string of medical clinics, they allegedly scammed Medicare out of $119 million by billing for costly HIV drugs that patients never received or did not need. Authori- ties say they bought hotels, helicopters and boats before fleeing to Cuba. The FBI has the mar- quee most-wanted list, but the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies also maintain their own. Roy said he hopes this newest list will raise awareness about the importance of combat- ting health care fraud. Medicare and Medicaid, which provide care for about 100 million people in the U.S., are in serious financial trouble and can’t afford to be hemor- rhaging tens of billions a year because of fraud. Most people go to elaborate lengths to avoid having their scams detected. But there often is a telltale sign. To document his transactions, wheelchair purveyor Nwafor assem- bled elaborate paper files, complete with bogus prescriptions and photos of beneficiaries in their wheelchairs. But investigators had a hunch they were on to some- thing when they discov- ered that most of his cus- tomers lived nearly 200 miles away from his Los Angeles-area store. ——— Online: http://www.oig.hhs.g ov HOME SERVICES DIRECTORY $8900 Runs Every Monday - Wednesday - Friday $ month commitment Residential • Commerical PATIOS • DECKS Construction Remodel, Construction Burrows New Additions, Siding Repair and Replacement, Water and Dryrot Damage Specialist, New Construction Foundation to Finish FREE ESTIMATES & REFRENCES Lic#824770 Ph: (530) 515-9779 Handyman 7900 a month with a 3 a month for a 1 month commitment Heating & AC Help for Seniors & Singles “Let me help you with the small repairs to keep your home running smoothly” 527-2288 Home Repairs At Very Reasonable Rates Call Richard at HVAC & General Contractor Lic. #619239 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL REBATES ON FULL INSTALLATIONS FREE ESTIMATES D.A.V. & SENIOR DISCOUNT References available upon request (New Construction/Remodels) 1-800-739-4706 Serving Tehama County and surrounding areas since 1990 Construction n No early cancellation, non-refundable Landscaping Torres Landscaping Mowing, Pruning, Weeding, Blowing, Cleaning, Trimming Yearly Yard Maintenance Monthly or One time available All around LAWN Maintenance Free Estimates Cell: 530-526-3752 Home: 520-529-5474 Ramon Torres Lic.# 10034 Landscape/Fence Tractor & Landscape Service Steve’s • Fence Building • Landscaping • Trenching • Rototilling • Disking • Mowing • Ridging • Post Hole Digging • Blade Work • Sprinkler Installation • Concrete Work Cont. 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