Owner of Health Care Agency Pleads Guilty in Medicare Kickback Scheme

Rebecca Sharp, owner of a health care agency, and one of eight defendants charged in a scheme to solicit and pay kickbacks in exchange for Medicare patients, pleaded guilty today, United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced.

U.S. Attorney Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sharp, age 43, from Ypsilanti, pleaded guilty in United States District Court before the Honorable Avern Cohn to Count One of the indictment which charged Sharp with Conspiracy to Violate the Health Care Anti-Kickback Statute.

According to the indictment, between 2002 and 2005, Rebecca Sharp received over $1.1 million in kickbacks for referring Medicare beneficiaries to home health care agencies. Sharp obtained potential home health care patients by instructing her staff at Continuing Senior Care Co, Inc. and Marketing & Assessment to telephone senior citizens and offer medical services and chore workers. If senior citizens inquired how her staff obtained their names, Sharp’s employees told them the information came from Medicare. Once the Medicare information was acquired, a doctor, employed by Sharp, visited the senior citizen, measured vitals signs, and prescribed home health care. After obtaining patients with Medicare coverage, Sharp referred the individuals to home health care agencies in exchange for a fee. Sharp claimed she could refer 80 patient names and Medicare numbers per week to a home health agency and that she charged a $250 per-patient referral fee. Sharp also claimed she employed doctors willing to sign plans of care regardless of a patient’s actual medical needs.

The following individuals, also charged in the indictment, are alleged to have conspired with Sharp by paying kickbacks to Sharp for patient referrals:

• Nancy Razalan, age 45, resident of Rochester Hills and owner of New Century Home Health Care, Inc., 1387 East 12 Mile Road, Madison Heights, Michigan;
• Generosa Agustin, age 51, resident of West Bloomfield and owner of Family Care Choice and Services, Inc., 23800 West 10 Mile Road, Suite 108, Southfield, Michigan;
• Kevin Watson, age 42, resident of Ypsilanti and owner of Watson Health Care, Inc., 17330 Northland Park Court, Suite 202, Southfield, Michigan;
• Jaqueline Jackson, age 43, resident of Ypsilanti and owner of Superior Home Care, Inc.,17330 Northland Park Court, Suite 201, Southfield, Michigan;
• Hafiz Anjum, age 43, resident of West Bloomfield and owner of Open Arms Home Care, Inc., 29551 Greenfield Road, Suite 118, Southfield, Michigan;
• Michael Gilliam, age 51, resident of West Bloomfield and owner of Quality Home Health Care Services of Michigan, Inc., 23800 West Ten Mile Road, Suite 250, Southfield, Michigan; and
• Edwin McBeth, age 43, resident of Emporia, Virginia, former administrator at Tender Nursing Home Care L.L.C., 1577 North Wixom Road, Wixom, Michigan.

Under the plea agreement, Sharp faces up to 57 months' imprisonment, restitution to the Medicare Program in the amount of $5,220,320.57, and a fine of up to $25,000.00. Sharp also consented to the forfeiture of over $250,000 and three vehicles seized during the investigation.

United States Attorney Terrence Berg said, “The Medicare program is intended to assist older Americans to be able to afford the medical treatment and health care that they need. When Medicare is abused by unscrupulous persons to pay for unnecessary treatment, and to garner kickbacks, that conduct harms both legitimate Medicare recipients as well as the program itself.”

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Andrew Arena said, “Medicare is based on the honesty and integrity of the program participants. Those who cheat Medicare are cheating the American taxpayers who ultimately bear the financial loss. The FBI is committed to protecting our healthcare systems from fraud and abuse."

Berg congratulated the hard work of the special agents of the FBI for their efforts in pursuing this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Ross.

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