CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Many individuals and companies in Iowa are facing charges in connection with healthcare fraud as part of a federal government crackdown that found more than $6 billion in false claims.
Northern District of Iowa
Jacob Hughes and his company Hughes Home Care are accused of defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs of more than $350,000. Hughes’ company provided home health care to veterans, although it is no longer open.
Hughes, 35, of Cedar Rapids, is being charged with 10 counts of healthcare fraud in federal court. According to the criminal complaint, the company submitted false claims for care that veterans never received. In one case, the company filed for money to cover care for someone who had already died.
Hughes allegedly used the proceeds to pay sports gambling debts. The court is asking for Hughes to pay back at least $350,000 for the fraud.
Southern District of Iowa
Eugene J. Cherny and Heartland Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, P.C. — Cherny, 70, of Des Moines, and his plastic surgery practice were named as defendants in a civil False Claims Act complaint in connection with false representations made to a Medicare contractor. According to the complaint, Cherny obtained two invoices for each skin substitute product he received from a distributor: one showing the price he actually paid and another showing an artificially inflated “list price.” When a Medicare contractor asked Cherny to send invoices documenting what he had paid, Cherny provided only the invoice containing the artificially inflated price. Federal health insurance programs paid Cherny and Heartland more than $2 million based on the false information.
Genesis Health System, Mercy Health Network, Inc., and Trinity Health Corporation — The three organizations, located in Davenport, agreed to pay $4,643,128 following a voluntary self-disclosure concerning Genesis’s overuse and resulting over-billing of the Impella heart pump device between April 2016 and March 2022.
Marshall County
Erica Bovee — Bovee, 53, of Marshalltown, was charged with fraudulent practice and tampering with records in connection with submitting claims to Iowa Medicaid for services not provided to a Medicaid member. According to the complaint, Bovee admitted she completed and submitted documentation indicating that her mother-in-law and husband were providing respite and supported community living services to a Medicaid member while the member was in the hospital, during which time such services were not allowed to be billed to Iowa Medicaid. Bovee’s claims for 225 hours of services while the member was in the hospital resulted in a total loss to Iowa Medicaid of $5,306.87.
Shelby County
Callie Chamberlin — Chamberlin, 33, of Atlantic, was charged with unlawfully obtaining a prescription drug. According to the complaint, Chamberlin, a nurse, diverted a patient’s fentanyl patch while employed at a nursing home and rehabilitation center, and then asked another nurse to cover up the diversion.
Polk County
Tamri Dameron — Dameron, 54, of Des Moines, was charged with fraudulent practice and tampering with records in connection with submitting claims to Iowa Medicaid for services not provided to a Medicaid member. While working as a personal care services provider, Dameron falsified records indicating personal care services that were not actually provided, which resulted in a total loss to Iowa Medicaid of $12,750.94.
Scott County
Marjorie Mae Koberg — Koberg, 58, of Stockton, was charged with forgery and tampering with records in connection with submitting claims to Iowa Medicaid for services not provided. While working as a personal care services provider, Koberg falsified visit verification records documenting services that she did not provide. According to the complaint, Koberg also forged the Medicaid member’s name, attesting that the services were provided in order to receive payment of $158.20.
Glenn Thronson — Thronson, 41, of Davenport, was charged with unlawfully obtaining prescription drugs and tampering with records. According to the complaint, Thronson, a nurse, diverted Demerol, Dilaudid, and fentanyl from a surgery center where he worked. He then falsified narcotics usage logs to conceal the diversion, including by creating fake patients in the records system.
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