MATAWAN – A local doctor has been sentenced to 35 months in prison for defrauding health insurance companies of more than $1.9 million, state officials said.
Dr. Fazal Panezai, 76, of Morganville, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with participating in a health care fraud scheme.
As the owner of Matawan-Aberdeen Heart & Medical Center, he submitted false claims to at least six health insurance benefit programs for office visits that either never occurred or did not take place for the length of time that he claimed, officials said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office gave an example in which Panezai billed approximately 27.9 hours for one day’s worth of office visits. They also tabulated more than $80,000 in bills for office visits when he was out of the country and not conducting visits. He also submitted claims for office visits when patients only stopped in to pick up a prescription but didn’t see the doctor.
In addition to the prison term, Panezai was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $1.95 million.
The post Local Doctor Sentenced To Prison For $1.9M Fraud Scheme appeared first on Jersey Shore Online.
