Industry News

Miami Home Health Company Owners and Recruiters Participated in a $48 Million Fraud Scheme.

Lisa Shuman | December 2013

The U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of Florida recently sentenced Emilio Amador, a patient recruiter of a Miami health care company to serve 108 months in prison for his involvement in a $48 million home health Medicare fraud scheme.  Additionally, the U.S. District Judge sentenced Amador to serve 3 years of supervised release and required Amador to pay $24 million in restitution, jointly and severally with his co-defendants.  From January 2006 through June 2011, Amador received kickbacks and bribes from owners and operations of Caring Nurse Home Health Care Corp., a Miami home health care agency.  Amador received kickbacks for recruiting Medicare beneficiaries for home health services that were medically unnecessary and/or not provided.  Further, Amador pleaded guilty for participation in fraudulent billing for Nation’s Best Care Home Health, where he was owner, operator, and president.  

Three patient recruiters also pleaded guilty for their participation in the home health Medicare fraud scheme.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) press release related to the sentencing of the owners and recruiter is available at:

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/December/13-crm-1279.html.

The DOJ press release related to the involvement of three patient recruiters is available at:

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/December/13-crm-1275.html.

Department of Justice.  “Miami Home Health Company Owner and Recruiter Sentenced for Role in $48 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme.”  Justice News.  4 Dec. 2013.

Department of Justice.  “Three Patient Recruiters for Miami Home Health Company Plead Guilty for Roles in $48 Million Fraud Scheme.”  Justice News.  3 Dec. 2013.

About the Author

Ms. Shuman assists health care organizations to develop, implement and evaluate their compliance programs and HIPAA privacy programs. Ms. Shuman specializes in our firm’s HIPAA Privacy services, including leading privacy investigations, breach risk assessments, breach notification letters, breach reporting to the Office for Civil Rights and corrective actions plans. She specializes in serving as Interim Privacy Officer for large health care systems, managed care organizations, comprehensive cancer center and health care business associate.