$26.3 Million Whistleblower: Annapolis Man and Companies Ordered to Pay Damages for Fraudulent Medicare Billing Amid COVID-19 Pandemic!

Federal Judge Orders $26.3 Million Penalty for Medicare Fraud

Prosecutors Detail Misconduct: Billing for Non-existent Tests and Delayed Results

According to THE BALTIMORE SUN, an Annapolis man Patrick Britton-Harr and his medical lab companies have been ordered by a federal judge to pay a staggering $26.3 million for defrauding Medicare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case unfolded with allegations that Britton-Harr’s companies including Provista Health LLC engaged in billing Medicare for unnecessary respiratory tests exploiting the urgent need for COVID-19 testing among nursing homes. Federal prosecutors detailed how Britton-Harr aimed to profit substantially from the pandemic projecting revenues of up to $500 million by improperly billing Medicare for tests that were either unnecessary never performed or conducted without physician orders.

Prosecutors highlighted that the fraudulent scheme involved billing Medicare over $7 million before it was exposed. The complaint outlined egregious practices such as billing for tests conducted after patients had died and conducting tests for rare pathogens not relevant to human health. Despite warnings from healthcare professionals about the legality and necessity of these tests Britton-Harr’s companies continued their operations, misrepresenting COVID-19 testing practices and causing significant delays in test results frustrating nursing homes reliant on timely healthcare services.

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$26.3 Million Whistleblower: Annapolis Man and Companies Ordered to Pay Damages for Fraudulent Medicare Billing Amid COVID-19 Pandemic! (PHOTO: Baltimore Sun)

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron condemned the exploitation of federal healthcare programs designed to assist vulnerable populations during a national crisis emphasizing the accountability for defrauding such programs for personal gain. The case culminated in default judgments against Britton-Harr and his companies after they failed to defend against the allegations with penalties under the False Claims Act entitling the government to triple damages. As Britton-Harr faces further legal proceedings for failure to comply with court orders the repercussions of this fraudulent scheme underscore broader concerns about healthcare integrity and oversight in federal programs.

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