Port Clinton Doctor Sentenced to Jail for Prescribing Controlled Substances Devoid of Health-related Necessity and Well being Treatment Fraud | USAO-NDOH

Acting U.S. Legal professional Michelle M. Baeppler introduced that William Bauer, 85, of Port Clinton, Ohio, was sentenced now by U.S. District Decide Jack Zouhary to 5 decades in prison and was requested to fork out $464,099.14 in restitution, of which $253,300.55 will be paid to Medicare and $210,798.59 to Medicaid. In addition, Decide Zouhary ordered Bauer to pay back $100,000 in local community restitution. The community restitution will be dispersed 65% to the Ohio Legal professional Basic, Criminal offense Target Solutions Part, and 35% to the Ohio Section of Psychological Wellness & Habit Companies. The Courtroom strongly recommended that the local community restitution total go to the Psychological Health and fitness and Recovery Products and services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties.

Decide Zouhary pronounced the sentence just after Bauer was convicted at trial of 76 counts of distribution of controlled substances and 25 counts of health and fitness treatment fraud.

“This defendant unnecessarily distributed perilous and very addictive controlled substances and consistently overlooked warning symptoms that his steps have been producing harmful damage to his clients and the group,” stated Acting U.S. Legal professional Michelle M. Baeppler.  “No matter your title, these who flood the streets with risky drugs and prey upon susceptible people will reply for their steps.”

“Criminal misconduct in just the healthcare technique is harmful and destructive,” mentioned FBI Particular Agent in Cost Eric B. Smith. “Not only does health care fraud effects insurers through monetary decline, but also to physicians, hospitals, and taxpayers who ended up unwitting participants to the deceitful actions. We will carry on to perform diligently to uncover fraudulent schemes that possibility general public health and fitness.”

“The sentencing of William Bauer demonstrates our motivation to halting individuals who fuel the opioid epidemic,” explained Kent R. Kleinschmidt, Acting Exclusive Agent in Cost of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Detroit Field Division.  “Medical experts who disregard their oath and instead seek to revenue at the expenditure of their sufferers and local community will be introduced to justice.”

In accordance to court files and evidence introduced at trial, between 2007 and 2019, Bauer, at his apply in Bellevue, Ohio, continuously prescribed medically unneeded managed substances, including Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Morphine and Tramadol, outside the regular training course of specialist apply and not for a reputable health-related objective.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors showed that Bauer prescribed high doses of opioids and other controlled substances to individuals without regard to any improvement in pain amount, operate, or high-quality of everyday living recommended perilous drug mixtures unsuccessful to look at a patient’s point out of addiction and ignored warning signals of abuse and diversion this sort of as patients’ thieving remedies, routinely requesting early refills, dropping prescription drugs and other actions.

The scenario concentrated on Bauer’s treatment method of 14 individuals.  Through the demo, prosecutors confirmed that these sufferers suffered a decline of employment, fractured families and seasoned deteriorating psychological wellness situations as a final result of their drug dependency.  In 1 occasion, courtroom paperwork point out that in 2015 a affected person of Dr. Bauer died from an accidental overdose.

In addition to his conviction for distributing controlled substances, Bauer was also convicted of wellbeing care fraud.  As section of the wellness care fraud scheme, Bauer billed insurers after prescribing medically avoidable controlled substances and administered pointless epidural and induce level injections that failed to meet certain procedural prerequisites.  Because these injections unsuccessful to meet the procedural requirements, they ended up rendered ineffective and fraudulently billed to insurers. 

“This medical professional contributed to the tidal wave of opioid overdoses that flooded our communities,” Ohio Attorney Typical Dave Yost reported. “I am happy of the condition and federal partnerships that continue on to do the job to stem the tide of habit.”  

“Providers sow distrust in our nation’s overall health treatment system when they take part in health treatment fraud and things to do that endanger their clients,” stated Mario M. Pinto, Unique Agent in Demand with the Office of Overall health and Human Solutions, Workplace of Inspector Common. “Along with our legislation enforcement companions, HHS-OIG will carry on to hold accountable these who threaten the protection of beneficiaries by means of overprescribing and partaking in wellbeing care fraud.”

Court paperwork point out that the overall decline sum to Medicare and Medicaid thanks to the fraudulent billing methods was $464,099.14.

This situation was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Division of Wellbeing and Human Companies – Business of Inspector Standard and the Ohio Lawyer General’s Place of work. The scenario is remaining prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Lawyers Ava R. Dustin, Michael A. Sullivan, Robert N. Melching and Payum Doroodian.