Former hospital CFO receives 23-month sentence for lying about meaningful use

Ayla Ellison -

Center, Texas-based Shelby Regional Medical Center's former CFO, Joe White, has been sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for his role in a healthcare fraud scheme, according to a KTRE report.

Mr. White pleaded guilty in November 2014 to making a false statement. Mr. White admitted he had attested to successful meaningful use of an EHR, even though Shelby Regional did not meet meaningful use requirements. Mr. White also made false statements regarding other hospitals converting to electronic records technology.

As a result of Mr. White's false statements, the group of hospitals collected nearly $17 million in government incentive funds.

In November, Mr. White also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft for using an employee's name to falsify documentation for the incentive funds that Shelby Regional received.

Along with his prison sentence, Mr. White was ordered to pay nearly $4.5 million in restitution.

This year, Tariq Mahmood, MD — the owner of Shelby Regional and the other hospitals involved in the scheme — was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for healthcare fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and identity theft.

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