March 14, 2011

http://www.beckersasc.com/stark-act-and-fraud-abuse-issues/arizona-pain-management-physician-surrenders-license-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-money-laundering.html

Albert Yeh, the former operator of a pain management clinic in Golden Valley, Ariz., has surrendered his medical license and has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to fraudulent billing, according to a news release from Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne.

In January, Mr. Yeh pled guilt to three felonies: fraudulent schemes and artifices, illegal control of an enterprise and money laundering. The plea required him to surrender his Arizona medical license, and he surrendered his Nevada license as well. He has also been ordered to pay $683,038 in restitution to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. He has also agreed to forfeit approximately $2 million in seized assets.

The Drug Enforcement Administration accused Mr. Yeh of operating his pain management clinic one day a week from 2006 to 2009. Attorney General Horne called Mr. Yeh a "medical predator" who shortened patient visits, increased patient volume to dangerous levels of as many as 150 patients a day, charged for exams not performed and grossly inflated his bills. Pre-signed prescriptions for narcotic drugs were dispensed by Mr. Yeh without him seeing the patients.