Attorney General Phil Weiser charges two Jefferson County men in $12 million Medicaid vision fraud investigation

Attorney General Phil Weiser charges two Jefferson County men in $12 million Medicaid vision fraud investigation

June 23, 2026 (DENVER) - Attorney General Phil Weiser today announced that James Andrew Heath, 33, and Jared Parker Heath, 37, of Jefferson County, have been charged with defrauding Colorado's Medicaid optical program of more than $12 million through their business QuickSpex LLC. The Heaths face six counts of Medicaid fraud and waste, five counts of cybercrime, and one count of money laundering.

"Defrauding Medicaid directly harms the public, particularly Coloradans who rely on the program for basic healthcare. Those who do so must be held to account and it is important that the consequences for this alleged criminal activity be meaningful. We appreciate the partnership with the federal government in taking this important action," said Attorney General Weiser.

Medicaid generally provides one pair of glasses with two lenses per year to qualified beneficiaries under the age of 21. According to a grand jury indictment unsealed last week, from 2021 to 2025, Quickspex billed Medicaid for 937 frames and other vision-related services for its top 10 patients. Many patients confirmed that they received zero services or goods from QuickSpex, and others confirmed that they received, at most, four pairs of glasses. This is just one example of the overbilling outlined in the indictment.

In 2021, the defendants billed Medicaid for over $2.9 million for 7,947 frames for 2,816 unique beneficiaries. During this time, QuickSpex did not have a fully open physical location and the company's software recorded providing only 17 glasses frames. In 2022, the defendants billed Medicaid for over $2.7 million for 8,019 frames for 1,995 unique beneficiaries, yet the company's software recorded dispensing 757 frames. In 2023, the defendants billed Medicaid for over $2.7 million for 7,097 frames for 1,260 unique beneficiaries. The company's software recorded dispensing 1,080 frames. And in 2024, the defendants billed Medicaid for over $3.6 million for 8,155 frames for 394 unique beneficiaries. The company's software recorded dispensing 1,478 frames.

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which manages the state's Medicaid program, deposited over $14 million in reimbursements into a bank account controlled by the Heaths. The funds were then used to purchase a home, vehicles, and a diamond business.

The investigation was conducted and is being prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud, Abuse & Neglect Unit in the Colorado Department of Law, with assistance from the Colorado Department of Revenue. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado filed a civil forfeiture case against the residence, financial accounts, and vehicles purchased by Jared Heath and James Heath. The U.S. Marshals Service was instrumental in the federal enforcement efforts.

The Colorado Medicaid Fraud Abuse and Neglect Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $4,026,641.50 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,342,213.83, is funded by the state of Colorado for the federal fiscal year.

Read a copy of the indictment (PDF).

A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado laws. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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