A doctor from Park Ridge NJ has been charged with health care fraud after he allegedly submitted false medical bills to an insurance company.

According to Bergen County authorities and Passaic County prosecutors, the suspect attempted to defraud the government out of money by submitting fraudulent insurance documents. The suspect allegedly hoped to be compensated for medical services that he did not actually provide to the patient.

Moreover, the suspect allegedly tried to cover up his healthcare insurance fraud by falsifying the patient’s medical records and trying to make it look like the patient had visited his office and received examinations on multiple occasions.

The fraud was reportedly committed in October 2015 and April 2016, with the suspect submitting the false documentation to Horizon Blue Cross. Officials for the insurance company noticed discrepancies in the medical records and launched an investigation. The insurance company also notified the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit, which subsequently opened their own investigation into the suspect’s alleged fraud crimes.

The suspect is a 49-year-old doctor who has an osteopathic practice operating out of both Passaic NJ and Park Ridge NJ. He has been charged with numerous criminal offenses, including healthcare claims fraud and falsification of medical records.

If the suspect is convicted on all of the very serious criminal charges, he could potentially be sentenced to 31 years behind bars.

To learn more about this case, go to the Patch.com article, “Bergen County Doctor Charged with Healthcare Fraud.”