HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rodney L. Yentzer, of Cumberland County, has agreed to pay the United States $900,000 to resolve civil liability for alleged violations of the False Claims Act.
According to United States Attorney, John C. Gurganus, between 2017 and 2019, Yentzer, through a group of pain clinics he controlled known as Pain Medicine of York (PMY), caused the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare. Those claims were for presumptive and definitive Urine Drug Tests (UDTs) that were not medically reasonable or necessary and were not used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Additionally, Yentzer agreed to be excluded from all Federal health care programs for 22 years. Yentzer’s exclusion means that no Federal health care program payment may be made, either directly or indirectly, for any items or services furnished by Yentzer or at the direction or on the prescription of Yentzer.
“Civil enforcement is an important tool to recover funds when providers cause improper claims to the Medicare program,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure the integrity of the Medicare Trust Fund.”
In March of 2022, in a related matter, Yentzer pleaded guilty to Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, and Theft of Public Money for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services between 2016 and 2020. Yentzer is awaiting sentencing. The news release can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/cumberland-county-man-pleads-guilty-health-care-fraud-money-laundering-and-theft-public
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The civil investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney, Tamara Haken, and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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