Another Medicare Wheelchair Fraud: San Antonio Woman Sentenced

Mary Lou Hernandez, owner of Angel Care Medical Supply in San Antonio, was sentenced on April 9 by US District Judge W. Royal Furgeson to 24 months in prison. In November 2006, Hernandez pleaded guilty to a 3-count Information charging her with conspiracy, health care fraud and violation of the anti-kickback statute. She admitted paying $800 to$1000 kickbacks to five area doctors for Certificates of Medical Necessity which were  needed to get reimbursement for motorized wheelchairs or scooters from Medicare and Medicaid. She then fraudulently billed approximately $3 million to Medicare and $1.4 million to Medicaid for the unnecessary equipment between 2001 and 2004. The doctors involved have not yet been charged (San Antonio Express-News, DOJ).