Workers' compensation fraud is often associated with employees feigning or exaggerating injuries; however, a growing number of medical providers and employers are bilking the system. While some providers bill for services never rendered, others may employ unlicensed staff to pad profits.
One case in point is Dr. Joseph T. Spare, a Marion, Ohio psychiatrist who billed for a suspiciously high volume of counseling and medication management sessions compared to his peers. The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) noticed the discrepancy and launched a formal investigation.
Although the bureau received bills indicating Spare performed both services for each session, the Special Investigations Department's Healthcare Provider Fraud Team found the counseling sessions were actually executed by three of his staff members at Marion Independent Physicians Association (MIPA). Furthermore, the MIPA employees hosting the sessions were not licensed to provide counseling. In actuality, Spare merely checked the patients' medication at the end of these counseling sessions.
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