Doctor Convicted of Healthcare Fraud

An Indian American physician has been convicted in a healthcare fraud scheme between 2007 and July 2010, reveals source.

Jaswinder Rai Chhibber, who was convicted by a Federal jury Tuesday, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count of healthcare fraud, and five years in prison on each false statements count, and a $250,000 fine on each count, a release from the US Attorney's office said.

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Chhibber, 43, of Schaumburg, was found guilty of five counts of health care fraud and four counts of making false statements involving a health care benefits programme after less than two full days of deliberations following a week-long trial, the release said.

He was charged with defrauding Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois by submitting false insurance claims for medically unnecessary tests and using false diagnosis codes to justify the tests he had ordered.

The jury found him not guilty of seven additional counts.

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Chhibber remains free on bond pending sentencing, which is set for May 10.

Chhibber ordered medically unnecessary tests, falsified patients' medical records, and used false diagnosis codes on insurance claim forms in various fashions for at least five patients who testified at trial, including two undercover federal agents who posed as patients, according to the release.

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Source-IANS

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