A Bonita man who owns two companies that supply medical equipment pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges for fraudulently billing Medicare for over $5.8 million.
Jacobo Melcer, 85, admitted to paying kickbacks to companies in exchange for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries and prescriptions for durable medical equipment Melcer’s companies sold, such as back, wrist and knee braces.
Those prescriptions were signed by physicians who were not regularly treating or had medically evaluated the beneficiaries, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Melcer’s plea agreement includes admissions to billing Medicare $5,885,382 and receiving $3,479,303. He also admitted pay over $227,000 in kickbacks.
Melcer is due to be sentenced in October following his plea to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and pay illegal renumerations. His guilty plea involves an agreement to pay restitution in the amount of the $3,479,303 he fraudulently received.
