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Posted at: 10/29/2009 2:32 PM | WHEC.com I-Team 10 investigation: Local podiatrist charged with health care fraud
Doctor Michael Akyuz didn't want to talk to I-Team 10 today. He didn't return calls and when we went to his house in Greece, this car registered to Akyuz showed up but then the driver quickly left after seeing our camera. Akyuz is a podiatrist. While he has an office in Gates, he mostly spends his time tending to elderly patients at nursing homes and retirement homes. I-Team 10 has learned he's now charged in federal court with health care fraud and mail fraud. According to a FBI affidavit, he billed you -- the taxpayer -- through Medicare more than $750,000 in fraudulent claims. Prosecutors say he was falsifying information in health insurance claim forms by billing for routine services that aren't covered. The doctor's billing practices came to light after an audit by the justice department set out to identify the top 20 medical providers who billed home bound patients. According to the audit, he was among the top five in Western New York. The affidavit shows what lengths investigators went to in order to uncover the alleged crimes. They spoke with many of his patients, like 84-year-old Doris. Medical records submitted by Dr. Akyuz indicated she was having sharp pains in her toes and difficulty walking. He billed Medicare on three occasions for procedures related to the removal of nail plates. In reality, Doris told investigators the only thing Akyuz did was trimmed her toenails once a month. With health care reform now the centerpiece of the Obama Administration, cases like this one are becoming a priority. Puscheck said, “Certainly as we look to and look into the issue of perhaps reforming the health care system, obviously one of the things we want to attack is waste and fraud.” Doctor Akyuz appeared in federal court Wednesday and was released without bail being set. According to prosecutors, if he's convicted he could be looking at 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution of the $750,000 he's accused of stealing. For more Rochester, N.Y. news go to our website www.whec.com.
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He clipped their toenails and billed you, the taxpayer. Now a local podiatrist is charged with health care fraud. Authorities say he filed false claims with Medicare to the tune of $750,000. The doctor's arrest is part of the government's new focus on health care reform.