A Missouri man pleaded guilty today to defrauding Medicare out of millions through a genetic testing scam, according to officials.
Officials stated that Jamie P. McNamara, 49, of Kansas City, ran labs in Louisiana and Texas that submitted fraudulent claims for cancer and cardiovascular genetic tests. He used aggressive telemarketing to pressure Medicare recipients into agreeing to tests, then paid kickbacks to get doctors, who never treated or consulted the patients, to sign off on the orders.
To avoid detection, McNamara shuffled billing between labs, hid his involvement by listing family members as owners, and used sham contracts to disguise bribes.
Between 2020 and 2022, his labs submitted over $174 million in bogus claims and received more than $55 million in payments. Authorities have seized luxury vehicles and more than $7 million from his accounts.
While on pretrial release, McNamara violated his bond conditions by, among other things, fleeing from a DUI arrest and cutting off an ankle monitor.
He was subsequently detained.
“McNamara lined his pockets by preying on vulnerable Americans concerned about their health. The genetic tests Medicare patients were lured into receiving did not provide them with any answers on their predisposition to life-threatening illnesses and cost taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office.
McNamara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison, officials stated.