Texas couple charged in $8.7 million Medicare fraud scheme, feds say

Couple allegedly paid doctors to certify and refer patients who didn’t qualify for Medicare

HOUSTON – A Houston couple is facing up to 10 years in prison after federal authorities say they defrauded the government for millions of dollars.

Caroline Zamora, 63, and Rommel Zamora, 59, were indicted on March 1. They’re accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for home health services that were not provided or for patients who did not qualify for such services, according to a press release.

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United States Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani with the Southern District of Texas said the Zamoras owned and operated 24/7 Stat Care Home Health Services Inc., also known as Parkway Healthcare Services, from February 2014 to November 2018.

They allegedly conspired to pay illegal cash kickbacks to Medicare patients to sign up for home health services with Parkway and pay kickbacks to doctors to certify and refer patients for home health who did not qualify.

The indictment states that Parkway billed Medicare $8.7M and was paid $6.7M.

If convicted, both face up to 10 years in prison on each count of health care fraud in addition to another five years for the conspiracy. All counts also carry as possible punishment a maximum $250,000 fine, the press release states.