Justice Department Protects MD goes after her Medical Corp. i.e, PC
Janet Despot
Dr. Janet Despot Allergist's practice faces fines Cardinal Respiratory
plans to plead guilty to one count of felony health-care fraud
By DEAN OLSEN
STAFF WRITER
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Dr. Janet Despot Springfield allergist's medical practice would pay
$2.8 million in federal fines and compensation to victims of a billing
fraud scheme under a proposed agreement filed in court Friday.
"Our No. 1 priority is to make the victims whole," Assistant U.S.
Attorney Patrick Hansen said in response to Cardinal Respiratory's
plan to plead guilty to a federal felony count of health-care fraud.
U.S. Circuit Court Judge Jeanne Scott accepted the plea from the
medical practice, which is operated at 1200 Centre West Drive by Dr.
Janet Despot.
Despot, Cardinal Respiratory and Despot's estranged husband, Rickey
Weir, all were charged last month as part of their alleged involvement
in a scheme to over-bill individual patients, private insurance
companies and the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Weir, 60, Despot's former business manager, faces 16 felony counts. If
convicted, he could be sent to prison for 20 years or more and be
ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. He has
pleaded innocent.
Despot, 49, has pleaded guilty to the lone charge against her
personally - a single misdemeanor count of illegal "balance-billing"
of Medicare patients. She is awaiting sentencing in January and could
face a penalty ranging from probation to six months in prison.
Weir posted $1 million bail to be released from the Sangamon County
Jail earlier this month. He is living in Springfield, but apart from
Despot.
The conviction of Despot's_medical practice doesn't add to any
potential prison sentence for her, but it could increase her total
financial penalty. Despot, who wasn't present in court Friday,
continues to practice medicine.
http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/18916.asp
Shalom,
--- Leland Milton Goldblatt
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