Physician Assistant Manuel Anthony Puig, 44, plead guilty on July 23, 2010 to conspiracy to defraud the Texas Medicaid program and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Texas law requires physician assistants to have a licensed physician supervising their work and delegating responsibilities to them.
Puig admitted at a hearing on July 26, 2010, that by doing business as Puig Medical Services and operating La Hacienda Family Clinic near Alton, Texas, that he joined an ongoing with others to submit claims without following the law.
"Puig admitted fraudulently using the Medicaid provider number of R.J.P., a medical doctor who, for some time before 2005 until his death, was physically and mentally unable to practice medicine nor provide any health care benefits, items, or services," indicated a release by U.S. AttorneyJosé Angel Moreno and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.
The doctor did not delegate authority or supervisor to Manuel Puig to provide any health care benefits, items, or services, according laid out in court before Chief United States District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa.
Puig admitted over 6,000 claims to Medicaid fraudulently submitted using the Texas Medical provider number for R.J.P. for which Medicaid paid the approximately $173,830.56 between May 2005 and January 2006.
The clinic is no longer in operation and Puig remains free on bond of $174,000 pending sentencing scheduled for October 26, 2010.
"Puig's wife, Romelia Sanchez Puig, 41, who allegedly acted as the biller for the clinic she and her husband operated and is also charged for her alleged involvement in the health care fraud scheme, remains on bond pending trial on the charges pending against her."
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