Suspected billing fraud Police raid on physiotherapists

Investigators search the suspects' practice rooms
Police have searched several physiotherapy facilities and a doctor's office as part of a major raid. Background of the use is the suspicion of billing fraud. As the public prosecutor Dresden reports, the four defendants should read the data of legally insured patients and issued without their knowledge cure regulations and have invoiced services not provided.

Police searches 14 properties in Saxony
With a large number of police, the public prosecutor Dresden on early Wednesday morning against several physiotherapists and a doctor proceeded. As reported by the Dresden public prosecutor, a total of fourteen objects were searched, including the treatment rooms of the therapists and a doctor's office in Dresden and Heidenau (Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district). More than 120 civil servants were involved in the operation, which ensured a large number of documents and evidence-relevant data.

Several physiotherapists and a physician from Saxony are suspected of having cheated on settlements for years. (Image: christopher-oliver / fotolia.com)

Services not provided settled?
The raid was carried out according to the information in the context of a preliminary investigation of the public prosecutor for billing fraud against health insurance companies. The four accused, between the ages of 45 and 60, are suspected of having read the data of legally insured patients since at least 2010. Without the knowledge of the patients, the doctor should subsequently issue prescriptions of remedies and pay for services not provided by the physiotherapy practices. The concrete number of acts and the exact amount of damage is currently not known, informs the law enforcement agency. The investigations would now be conducted for fraud according to §§ 263 StGB.

Pediatrician falsifies study results
Recently, the Fulda District Court had sentenced a doctor to 18 months probation for fraud. The 67-year-old pediatrician from Petersberg (Hesse) had received just under 73,000 euros from a drug manufacturer to conduct a scientific survey on a flu vaccine. But the doctor did not comply with the agreements and consistently provided even fake results. (No)