Ypsilanti woman sentenced to prison in Medicare kickback scheme
DETROIT - An Ypsilanti woman is going to prison after admitting she received more than $1 million in a Medicare kickback scheme in which she referred people to certain home health care agencies.
Rebecca Sharp was sentenced to 18 months in prison Wednesday. The punishment ordered by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn was far below the 32-month minimum recommended by prosecutors.
She also must pay $1.4 million to the Medicare program.
Sharp's business, Continuing Senior Care, called people to offer medical services and help around the house. She was able to get their Medicare information and was paid $250 per referral from home health care agencies.
Sharp pleaded guilty to conspiracy last summer and substantially assisted the government in its prosecution of others. Her help led to other guilty pleas in the case.
Comments
treetowncartel
Fri, Dec 18, 2009 : 9:40 a.m.
None of those companies are, or were, insurance companies.Those are examples of people stealing from within the company, not the individuals or entities they contract with. Keep drinking the kool aid if you believe there isn't rampant abuse in the federal insurance programs. Private companies police their enrolled providers a lot better than the government
mbill
Fri, Dec 18, 2009 : 6:57 a.m.
Bernie Madoff ran a private company, Enron was a private company, Leman Brothers was a private company. People defraud public and private insurance. The assumption that if its private it will not be corrupt or be subject to fraud is absurd.
treetowncartel
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 3:39 p.m.
This is why you can't expand medicare or offer a public option. the governemnt is an awful steward of our money.
djm12652
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 2:58 p.m.
I agree with you treetowncartel...I can't imagine a Healthcare Reform bill without some seriously stiff penalties for fraud convictions. Oh wait...already have the laws in place, but nobody cares to enforce them and then you get a judge who doesn't even hand out the minimum sentence, but much less...the maximum.
bigD
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 12:38 p.m.
Hmmmm 1 mill for 18 months and probably not have to serve the whole 18 some would think that this is a pretty good trade off.
treetowncartel
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 11:16 a.m.
These federal programs are being abused by so many providers. If they actually policed this as well as private insurnace companies they wouldn't be in such bad shape.