X-Ray Technician Who Became Company’s Vice President Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud
Performed and Interpreted X-Rays and Other Tests in Lieu of Qualified Physicians and Radiologists in Scheme Involving More Than $2.5 Million in Medicare Losses
BALTIMORE, MD—Timothy Emeigh, age 50, of York Springs, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty today to health care fraud arising from a scheme in which insurance providers and Medicare were fraudulently billed for tests interpreted by unlicensed personnel, and for tests and services which in fact had not been provided.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiGiulio, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to his plea agreement, Emeigh was a licensed x-ray technologist in Maryland. Emeigh was not a licensed physician. Emeigh worked at Alpha Diagnostics Services beginning in 1993 as an x-ray technologist. In 1997, he was named vice president of the company’s operations.
Alpha Diagnostics was principally a portable x-ray supplier in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia. However, Alpha Diagnostics also supplied or provided portable ultrasound tests, electrocardiograms (“EKGs”), echocardiograms and Holter monitors. The majority of its clients were nursing homes, whose patients Alpha Diagnostics tested. Alpha Diagnostics was headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland with an office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Alpha Diagnostics was enrolled in the Medicare program. Medicare required that a licensed physician order and interpret the x-ray or other test, and render a formal report.
