Federal courts in Florida have finally learned what is needed to cut into Medicare Fraud, long prison sentences to those convicted of stealing from Medicare.
Lawrence Duran, 49, the owner of Miami-based American Therapeutic Corp, a Miami businessman was sentenced to 50 years in prison on September 16, 2011 for masterminding a healthcare fraud scheme that sought to bilk the U.S. government out of more than $200 million. Duran was arrested last October on charges that he executed what prosecutors described in court documents as "one of the largest and most brazen healthcare fraud conspiracies in recent memory."
His prison sentence was believed to be the harshest ever for defrauding Medicare, the federal insurance plan for the elderly and disabled. He also was ordered to pay $87.5 million in restitution. American Therapeutic was one of the nation's largest chains of community mental health centers licensed by Medicare.
His co-conspirator, Marianella Valera, will spend the next 35 years in prison for taking part in the $200 million Medicare fraud scam that targeted mental health centers. Marianella Valera manipulated records in order to keep patients at a facility longer than medically required which allowed for higher billings to Medicare bills.
Prosecutors said the company, operating out of the southeastern city widely viewed by law enforcement officials as the healthcare fraud capital of the United States, billed Medicare for more than $205 million in claims over eight years for mental health services that were either unnecessary or never provided to patients.
ZIFL agrees, this has to be the most severe sentence imposed for this type of crime. Judges, like the one in Miami, should understand that Medicare and other insurance fraud will never be deterred unless they impose severe sentences like that imposed on Duran.
