BOAZ PHYSICIAN SURRENDERED LICENSE AND SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR HEALTH CARE FRAUD

BIRMINGHAM, AL - THOMAS RICHARD MARTIN, 51, of Boaz, Alabama, surrendered his medical license and a federal judge sentenced him today to serve 4 months in prison for defrauding the Medicare program and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBS). Following his release from prison he will serve 4 months home confinement and 3 years supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin announced the punishment rendered which also included payment of $30,451.99 in restitution to Medicare and BCBS, a $10,000 fine, $600 special assessment, and $23,000 to the United States Attorney’s Office for investigative costs.

“To prevent Dr. Martin from defrauding taxpayers or private insurance companies in the future, the United States required Dr. Martin to surrender his license to practice medicine,” stated U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. “Those individuals who commit fraud on the health care system are gambling with their livelihood.”

Martin operated as a general practitioner at his medical office in the City of Boaz, located in Marshall County, Alabama. From December 2001 through June 2004, Martin fraudulently billed Medicare program and Blue Cross and Blue Shield for services which were not provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Specifically, Martin billed for the surgical removal of a malignant skin cancer, when evidence showed that the procedure was either not performed or, rather than removing cancerous tissue, Martin only removed non-cancerous moles, warts, or other minor cosmetic procedures. Martin pled guilty to the health care fraud charges in May 2007.

Martin agreed in a civil settlement with Medicare to pay additional restitution in the amount of $105,000.

The Medicare Program is administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lloyd Peeples prosecuted this case on behalf of the U.S. Government.