A vast web of bribes, kickbacks, counterfeit hardware and a legislative loophole allowed one California spine surgeon to cash in on spinal fusion surgeries for which the state paid millions of dollars, according to an article by Los Angeles Magazine.
In 2014, the former owner of a Long Beach hospital, Michael Drobot, pleaded guilty to charges that he bribed California Sen. Ronald S. Calderon, and paid kickbacks for patient referrals for lumbar fusion surgery and cervical fusion surgery. Prosecutors believe the scheme led to as much as $500 million in fraudulent payments. In November, the former chief financial officer of the Long Beach hospital and two orthopedic surgeons were among five additional individuals charged with participating in the eight-year fraud scheme.
Source: Inside California’s largest healthcare fraud scheme FIERCE HEALTH PLAYER