Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

After Texas bust, more investigations are on the way, OIG promises.

The jig is up for seven durable medical equipment owners accused of bilking the Medicare program of $15 million for power wheelchairs and scooters.

Law enforcement personnel from 14 different jurisdictions and 137 federal agents on Feb. 5 arrested 11 Texans, including seven owners of wheelchair businesses and a physician, in an operation termed "Operation Roll Over." They stand accused of submitting fraudulent wheelchair claims to Medicare, concealing the submissions, and diverting the ill-gotten funds for their personal use, says Texas U.S. Attorney Jane J. Boyle in a release.

According to the investigators, recruiters would approach Medicare beneficiaries and offer them free scooters in exchange for their Medicare information. The suppliers then would bill for expensive power wheelchairs and furnish only scooters, or would furnish no equipment at all, Boyle alleges.

The 11 defendants each were charged with one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Some defendants were also charged with money laundering and mail fraud.

The indictments call for forfeiture of seven power wheelchair "luxury vehicles" and $7 million in proceeds from the alleged scam, Boyle says.

The Texas DME company owners arrested were Patrick Oke Ekong and Affiong Ikpeme Ekong of Upakeii Corp. in Richardson, Michael D. Nsekpong of Tachy Medical Equipment and Supplies in Dallas, Donatus Daniel Usanga of Mendus Medical Equipment and Supplies in Dallas, Uko Edet Essien of Medical Equipment & Supplies of North America in Dallas, Emmanuel Uko Akpan of Stat Medical Equipment and General Services in Garland, and Ignatius Chuka Ogba of Universal Health Services in Dallas. The physician indicted was Lloyd McGriff of Dallas.

The law enforcement operation was a multi-agency effort including the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Department of Homeland Security, among others.

And the OIG promised to prosecute more wheelchair fraud cases in the future. The agency "will continue to conduct operations like this and follow leads wherever they take us," said OIG Special Agent in Charge Timothy Menke.