United States Sues Illinois Doctor for Fraudulent Billing in Durable Medical Equipment Scheme

BOSTON - The U.S. Attorney's Office has filed a lawsuit under the False Claims Act against an Illinois-based doctor for allegedly causing the submission of claims to Medicare for medically unreasonable and unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME).

The complaint alleges that between December 2018 and April 2019, Dr. Alexandria Williams signed orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries she never examined and who often did not want or need the braces. The orders that Williams allegedly signed were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls made to Medicare beneficiaries and contained multiple false statements, including, for instance, that Williams had completed an evaluation of the patient, discussed the use of orthotics with the patient, and instructed the patient on medical follow-up care. It is alleged that Williams generally did not contact the beneficiaries herself and had no medical relationship with the beneficiaries. At the time of the alleged conduct, Williams was a licensed physician in Massachusetts and ordered the braces for Massachusetts-based beneficiaries.

The complaint further alleges that Williams received payment for each order she reviewed through a staffing company that had connected her with Integrated Support Plus, Inc., a telemedicine company whose owner pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme in 2020. The orders she allegedly signed became the basis for DME suppliers to submit claims to Medicare for orthotics. As a result of Williams' alleged participation in this scheme, the government contends that Medicare paid approximately $630,000 in false claims for DME that were medically unreasonable and unnecessary.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Foley's Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit.

The claims are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.