Probation for chiropractor in insurance fraud

Published: 2010-12-22 21:58:18
Author: MICHAEL HINKELMAN

A Bucks County chiropractor who participated in a scheme to bilk Independence Blue Cross of almost $2 million was sentenced yesterday to three years' probation and ordered to perform 450 hours of community service.

U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter gave Dr. Raymond W. Brozek, 57, of Telford, a big break after Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Eve filed a motion for leniency based on "substantial" assistance from Brozek that led to charges against others.Two other defendants in the case - Michael Karp and Mark Levin - were sentenced to prison terms of six months and a year and a day, respectively, in September and last month.Brozek, who is no longer practicing and likely faces suspension of his license, is working as a chauffeur. He admitted yesterday that he had made a "terrible, terrible mistake."

Authorities said Levin, 65, and Karp, 39, who is Levin's son-in-law, owned Hatfield Athletic Club and Rehab One, a chiropractic office at the club. The men hired Brozek to work there from 2004 to 2006. Levin demanded that Hatfield workers be seen by Brozek as often as possible so he could bill IBC, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Brozek followed his superiors' directions and caused fraudulent bills to be submitted for treatments either he didn't perform or that weren't medically necessary. Authorities said Brozek also prepared bogus bills that were used to submit claims to IBC that represented services provided to Hatfield workers, who were encouraged and forced to sign Rehab One's patient log regardless of whether they were treated.

At the direction of Karp and Levin, Brozek created office notes and other documents that included fictitious procedure codes and false depictions of symptoms and clinical findings, which were used to prepare bills submitted to IBC.Authorities said the defendants submitted almost $2 billion worth of medical bills to IBC, resulting in payments from IBC of $399,882.

The three defendants must make a combined restitution of $399,822 to IBC.
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