Stephen Beukas, DMD, the former owner of New Jersey Mobile Dental in Wyckoff, N.J. was sentenced to eight years in prison and $7 million in restitution over Medicaid fraud, according to the Long Branch Patch.
Here are five notes:
1. Between Jan. 1, 2003 and Aug. 1, 2009, Dr. Beukas and his staff overbilled and submitted false Medicaid claims for patients coming from nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day care facilities and private homes.
2. Dr. Beukas and six staff members were indicted in 2013. Dr. Beukas pleaded guilty to second degree misconduct by a corporate official in September. Additional charges against the four other dentists are still pending.
3. The state Medicaid program alleges Dr. Beukas and his staff stole more than $5.54 million. All six of the staff members have pleaded guilty to criminal accusations.
4. Dr. Beukas allegedly added “behavior management” charges to patients who did not need extra services and filed “trip charges” to nearly all Medicaid patients. Medicaid allows for dentists to submit one “trip charge” regardless if a dentist sees more than one patient.
5. Attorney General Christopher Porrino told the Long Branch Patch, “Dr. Beukas used his mobile medical services company to gain access to vulnerable patients who needed on-site dental care, and then treated them as pawns in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from Medicaid.”
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Here are five notes:
1. Between Jan. 1, 2003 and Aug. 1, 2009, Dr. Beukas and his staff overbilled and submitted false Medicaid claims for patients coming from nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day care facilities and private homes.
2. Dr. Beukas and six staff members were indicted in 2013. Dr. Beukas pleaded guilty to second degree misconduct by a corporate official in September. Additional charges against the four other dentists are still pending.
3. The state Medicaid program alleges Dr. Beukas and his staff stole more than $5.54 million. All six of the staff members have pleaded guilty to criminal accusations.
4. Dr. Beukas allegedly added “behavior management” charges to patients who did not need extra services and filed “trip charges” to nearly all Medicaid patients. Medicaid allows for dentists to submit one “trip charge” regardless if a dentist sees more than one patient.
5. Attorney General Christopher Porrino told the Long Branch Patch, “Dr. Beukas used his mobile medical services company to gain access to vulnerable patients who needed on-site dental care, and then treated them as pawns in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from Medicaid.”
More articles on dentists:
When Medicare doesn't cover dental care, how do patients cover costs?
Renowned Harlem dentist Dr. Chester Redhead dies
Drs. Joe O'Neal, Christian Alexander & more: 5 dentists making headlines