04/06/2013    

PODIATRISTS AND THE LAW

MI Podiatrist Sentenced to Prison in Healthcare Fraud Scheme

A Grand Rapids podiatrist will serve time in prison for committing healthcare fraud. Anthony J. Kirk, 61, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to six months in prison, fined $15,000, and ordered to pay $65,110 in restitution for committing healthcare fraud, U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles announced Thursday in a news release. Kirk, a licensed doctor of podiatric medicine, pled guilty in November 2012 to knowingly and willfully executing a scheme to defraud the Medicare program by repeatedly submitting false and fraudulent claims for services he did not actually perform on his patients. According to the release, Kirk admitted billing the procedures when in fact he only performed “routine foot care,” a service that generally is not reimbursable by Medicare.

Source: Holland Sentinel [4/5/13]