A southeastern Wisconsin physician has plead guilty after she ordered unnecessary medical products from medical brace suppliers that then falsely billed Medicaid for millions of dollars’ worth of equipment.
Anne Frea was charged with one count of making false statements related to health care matters.
Frea’s orders caused medical brace suppliers to bill Medicare for more than $4 million worth of medical equipment. Out of that $4 million, Medicare actually paid more than $2 million.
A complaint in the case explains Frea was a licensed physician in Wisconsin who was also enrolled in the Medicare program. The complaint, which was filed in Wisconsin’s Eastern District, did not specify which health care practice Frea worked for.
Medicare covers an individual’s access to durable medical equipment (DME). This includes equipment like walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen equipment and off-the-shelf medical braces. Medicare also covers expenses for specified telemedicine services.
From January 2018 through March 2019, Frea was paid by telemedicine companies to provide consultations with patients. Following these consultations, the complaint states Frea ordered medical equipment that was not necessary.
"...As part of these telemedicine consults, Frea would electronically sign orders and other Medicare-required documents for medical braces that contained materially false and fraudulent statements," according to the complaint.
For example, Frea claimed to have examined patients and evaluated their medical conditions prior to ordering braces without ever doing so.
She faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. She has also been ordered to pay $325,000 in restitution.
