New York cardiologist Asim Hameedi, MD, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for coordinating a complex fraud scheme that went on for at least 12 years. He was also ordered to pay more than $500,000 in restitution and fined an additional $100,000.
As the owner and president of City Medical Associates (CMA) in Queens, Hameedi orchestrated a scheme that included false reimbursement claims, backdating bills, lying to insurance providers about medical services, violating HIPAA laws and other offenses. He had previously pled guilty.
“Doctors and medical clinics should be focused on their patients’ wellbeing, not on fraudulently lining their own pockets,” attorney Ilan T. Graff said in a prepared statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Thanks to the dogged investigative work of our partners at the FBI, HHS and NYPD, Asim Hameedi is headed to prison for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance companies.”
It is estimated that Hameedi’s scheme involved “millions of dollars in falsified claims.” According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, he also “tried to obstruct an investigation by hospital officials into misconduct by his nephew, co-defendant Fawad Hameedi.”
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.