Home Health Care Service Operators Accused In Kickback Scheme
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Operators of a home health care service have been indicted, along with a nurse and two marketers, for kickbacks related to $5 million in Medicare billing.
As WBBM Newsradio's John Cody reports, the owners of Goodwill Home Nursing Services in Lincolnwood -- Marilyn Maravilla and Junjee Arroyo; a nurse -- Ferdinand Echavia; and two marketers -- Rakeshkumar Shah and Jean Holloway -- have been charged with giving and receiving $400,000 in kickbacks for finding and retaining patiens, whose home health care bills could be charged to Medicare.
U.S. Attorney's office spokesman Randall Samborn says the issue isn't whether or not someone made home care visits.
"These services should be based on medical necessity, and on what's in the patients' best interests," and not based on whether or not someone in the medical industry is receiving a kickback for giving a loan," Samborn said.
So far, marketers Holloway and Shah have pleaded not guilty.
Samborn says so far, four dozen people have been charged with health care fraud since a federal strike force began operating last year in Chicago.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's John Cody reports
