He has steered $1.1 million to the Democrats since the 1990’s.
Via The Daily Mail
A Florida doctor whose close relationship with New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez is under investigation by federal prosecutors bills the most for Medicare in the country – and was paid a staggering $20.8 million by the program in 2012.
Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen, whose offices were raided twice by the FBI last year, received the biggest sum from Medicare, a study of physician data has revealed.
He was among a tiny group of doctors – 344 physicians out of more than 825,000 – who were paid $3 million or more apiece that year, totaling at nearly $1.5 billion.
The eye-watering sums were revealed by an Associated Press analysis of physician data that was released on Wednesday by the Obama administration. The release was part of a move to open the books on health care financing to allow patients to make informed choices about their treatment.
The second highest biller was Asad U. Qamar, a cardiologist in Ocala, Florida, who received $18.1 million, mostly from putting in stents. A New Jersey pathologist received $12.6 million performing tissue exams, and a Michigan vascular surgeon took in $10.1 million.
Some of the highest billing totals may be because a doctor has an unusually large number of Medicare patients, but in some instances, the high totals could signal fraudulent doctor behavior.
Among doctors accused of such conduct is Detroit cancer doctor Farid Fata, the seventh highest biller among the Medicare data.
He received $10 million in Medicare payments in 2012 and is now awaiting a fraud case, after he was accused of intentionally misdiagnosing illnesses and ordering treatments for people who did not have cancer. He has denied any wrongdoing.
But Dr Melgen’s lawyer insisted that the physician simply led a large practice.
Melgen has been a key figure in two different federal investigations. His relationship with Senator Menendez made headlines last year after news broke that the lawmaker used the doctor’s personal jet for trips to the Dominican Republic.
In addition to allowing the use of his jet, the eye specialist was the top political donor for Menendez as the New Jersey Democrat sought re-election to the Senate that year.
Menendez’s relationship with Melgen prompted Senate Ethics and Justice Department investigations, and Menendez reimbursed Melgen more than $70,000 for plane trips.