FORMER NORTH JERSEY CHIROPRACTOR SENTENCED FOR TREATING PATIENTS WITHOUT A LICENSE & BILLING INSURANCE COMPANIES NEARLY $100,000 FOR ILLEGAL TREATMENTS

TRENTON - Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a former North Jersey chiropractor was sentenced for practicing chiroprac

Press Release NJ Division of Criminal Justice TRENTON - Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn L. McKoy announced that the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor has charged an Essex County chiropractor and office manager for allegedly paying “runners” to illegally secure patients and to fraudulently increase the amount of money obtained from insurance companies. The “runners” were under cover State Investigators assigned to the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

According to the Modesto Bee, officials raided Med-1 Medical Center this morning at 7 AM. See Modesto Chiropractor (Department of Insurance) for details about the charges that owner Wilmer Dorado Origel defrauded insurers for $10 million over 9 years. Origel’s defense attorney is, of course, proclaiming his client’s innocence, “I’ve spent a lot of time talking to the doctor and going through how they structured their business. There’s nothing there. They can search anything they want.”

“MODESTO – A Modesto chiropractor and two employees were arrested early Thursday on charges that they repeatedly billed for services that were unnecessary or never rendered from 1996 through 2004, potentially costing insurers more than $10 million. Chiropractor Wilmer Dorado Origel, 44, of Modesto, is the owner and operator of the businesses involved in the alleged fraud. His associates, Rebecca Marie Benedict, 44, of Modesto, and Robin Elaine Barney, 40, of Oakdale, were also taken into custody. All three were booked into the San Joaquin County jail and charged with multiple felony counts, including insurance fraud, grand theft, and practicing medicine without certification.

As part of a no contest plea to one count of fraud, Wisconsin chirpractor Barbera Bergman will give up her license number and Medicaid number. She was sentenced to 18 months probation on August 20, 2004. She’ll also be required to pay a $1,000 fine and complete 100 hours of community service.

Dr. Tony D. Hjelle, Bergman’s employer, fired Bergman after he noticed that she had altered patient records. He believes she upcoded hundreds of claims before and after he purchased her business.

According the complaint filed by the Wisconsin Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), Bergman billed Medicaid for services she did not provide.

Michael Baer pled guilty to submitting over $20,000 in fraudulent insurance claims and for using “runners” to bring in patients. Between May and November 2000 Baer submitted claims to Parkway Insurance Company and Hanover Insurance Company for services that they did not provide. He also admitted to hiring runners who bring in patients so a medical provider can bill their insurance.