TEXAS
A federal jury found a Texas woman guilty today for her role in a $5.5 million scheme to overbill the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Program for physical therapy and other services, according to officials.
After a five-day trial, before U.S. District Judge Karen G. Scholer of the Northern District of Texas, Melissa Sumerour, 48, of Lorena, Texas, was found guilty of six counts of health care fraud. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled, officials stated.
According to evidence, from about January 2011 to March 2017, Sumerour engaged in a scheme to defraud the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Program by overbilling for physical therapy.
The evidence established that the fraud, in which Sumerour billed for more physical therapy than was provided, cost the Office of Workers’ Compensation Program in excess of $5.5 million.
One other defendant has been charged in this matter.
Latosha Morgan, 42, of Grand Prairie, Texas, pleadguilty and is scheduled for sentencing in March, according to officials.
DOJ NOTED:
Trial Attorney Brynn Schiess and Counsel Amy Markopoulos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion.
In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.