An Ocean County man admitted his role in a durable medical equipment kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
According to officials, Alexander Schleider, 57, of Lakewood, pleaded guilty in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Officials said Schleider owned and operated durable medical equipment (DME) companies in New Jersey that provided orthotic braces to beneficiaries of Medicare and other federal and private health care benefit programs without regard to medical necessity.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Schleider and his conspirators obtained prescriptions for the DME braces through the payment of kickbacks and bribes to individuals operating marketing call centers, who in turn utilized the service of telemedicine companies to obtain prescriptions for the DME. Schleider caused losses to Medicare and other healthcare benefit programs of $21.7 million.
Source: Ocean County Man Admits to $21.7M Healthcare Fraud / RLS Media