A New York physician pleaded guilty to billing Medicare for millions of dollars for medical services that were never rendered, the Justice Department said March 7.
Prosecutors said Morris Barnard, MD, submitted more than $3 million in billings to Medicare for colonoscopy and gastroenterological procedures that were not performed between October 2015 and February 2020, according to a news release. Medicare paid $1.4 million to reimburse the false claims.
"By claiming to render services to disabled and other vulnerable patients, Dr. Barnard not only pocketed taxpayer funds that were intended to help beneficiaries in need, he also betrayed his oath for profit," Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in the release.