MEMPHIS, TN – Nathan Lucas, D.P.M., a 59-year-old podiatrist from Memphis, has been convicted by a federal jury for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that targeted Medicare and TennCare. Lucas, who owned Advanced Foot & Ankle Care of Memphis LLC along with two in-house pharmacies, exploited these services to defraud the healthcare programs by prescribing and dispensing medically unnecessary foot bath medications, securing millions in reimbursements.
Evidence presented at trial revealed Lucas prescribed antibiotic and antifungal medications for foot soaks that included a mix of capsules, creams, and powders. Many of these prescribed components were not suitable for water dissolution, with some not being water-soluble at all. The choice of medications was based on the expected reimbursement values rather than their medical necessity. From October 2018 to September 2021, Lucas’s scheme led to nearly $4 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and TennCare. His pharmacies received over $3 million in reimbursements for these non-eligible, medically unnecessary foot bath medications.
Lucas was convicted of five counts of health care fraud, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for June 20, when a federal district court judge will determine the appropriate punishment, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations.