In another case arising from Operation Brace Yourself, on April 4, 2019, the government charged Willie McNeal IV with conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 371 and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) based on an alleged conspiracy to fraudulently bill Medicare for durable medical equipment (DME) claims that were tainted by illegal kickbacks.
According to the indictment, McNeal owned and operated two telemedicine companies, WebDoctors Plus, Inc. and Integrated Support Plus, Inc., both located in Hernando County, Florida. Through those companies, McNeal is alleged to have paid doctors and healthcare providers to order or prescribe DME products for Medicare beneficiaries. The providers did so via telemedicine consults that allegedly did not satisfy the regulatory requirements for such prescription, including an adequate examination, direct communication with the patient, and medical necessity. The indictment alleges that McNeal, in turn, solicited kickbacks in return for arranging for providing signed DME orders to be used to support claims for reimbursement to Medicare.
Trial is set for November 2020.
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