A 60-year-old Texas physician was sentenced Aug. 9 to 35 years in prison for orchestrating a $375 million healthcare fraud scheme, according to the Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors said Jacques Roy, MD, and his cohorts used promises of cash, groceries and food stamps to recruit patients, including some of Dallas’ homeless, as part of the fraud scheme.
From January 2006 to November 2011, Dr. Roy’s office, Medistat Group Associates in DeSoto, Texas, handled more home healthcare visits than any physician’s office in the country. Dr. Roy allegedly certified or directed the certification of more than 11,000 individual patients from more than 500 home healthcare agencies for home health services during that time, according to the DOJ.
“A doctor cannot care for 11,000 patients at once,” Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl said during the trial, according to The Dallas Morning News
In April 2016, Dr. Roy, who has lost his medical license, was found guilty on eight counts of healthcare fraud, two counts of making a false statement relating to healthcare matters, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Three owners of home healthcare agencies were also convicted on various felony offenses.
In addition to his 35-year prison term, Dr. Roy was ordered to pay $268.15 million in restitution.
HENRY KOTULA 