Indian-American doctor in Florida charged with alleged federal healthcare fraud

Florida: An Indian-American doctor has been charged with committing health care fraud out of her practice in Stuart, Florida.

Dr. Sheetal Kanar Kumar, 48, appeared in federal court and was arraigned on twenty-six counts of health care fraud (Case No. 18-14063-CR-Marra), according to an Oct. 12 press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida   The trial is currently set to begin in Fort Pierce on November 13, before U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

According to the indictment, Dr Kumar owned and operated the medical practice Advanced Healthcare for Women in Stuart, Florida.  She was an obstetrician and gynaecologist licensed to practice medicine.  She also provided medical services treating incontinence.

From at least as early as January 2014, until July 2017, Dr Kumar allegedly submitted or caused the fraudulent submission of claims to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies, the press release said.  The alleged fraudulent claims sought money for specific health care benefits, items, and services that were not provided as billed, prosecutors said, as a result of which,  Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies, made payments amounting to $926,802, the press release said.