A Fredericksburg doctor convicted of Medicaid fraud has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced the state of Texas.
Dr. David M. Young, 61, played a part in a scheme that defrauded government health care programs. He did this by prescribing durable medical equipment and genetic tests without actually seeing or treating any patients. As a result, he now faces a restitution payment of $26,622,522.
“Medicaid fraud steals hundreds of millions from the taxpayers, and I will relentlessly pursue those who exploit these programs,” said Texas Attorney General Paxton. “This doctor will pay more than $26 million in restitution and spend 10 years in jail for his actions.”
According to Paxton, Dr. Young allegedly signed fraudulent prescriptions and medical records for unnecessary orthotic braces and cancer genetic testing. It is claimed that he did this for over 13,000 Medicare beneficiaries, including undercover agents posing as patients. Many of these beneficiaries were never spoken to or examined by Dr. Young.
The scheme led to healthcare programs being billed over $70 million fraudulently.
In just one year, from 2020 to present, Attorney General Paxton’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) has successfully recovered an impressive sum of over $990 million. This significant amount represents settlements, judgments, and restitution obtained for the benefit of Texas taxpayers.
The MFCU secures the majority of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a grant award of $22.7 million for fiscal year 2024. An additional $7.5 million, constituting 25 percent of the funding, is provided by the State of Texas.