BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- A Trussville man was sentenced earlier this week after pleading guilty to health care fraud conspiracy in February, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
John Alan Robson, 41, was sentenced to 56 months in prison. Robson was ordered to pay about $1.1 million in forfeiture and around $5.3 million in restitution.
Robson's penalties stem from his work with Brian Bowman, James Ray and other people. According to Robson's plea agreement, he ordered items and services on kickbacks or that were medically unnecessary. The plea agreement mentions Robson knew insurers would not pay for these items and services.
The plea agreement states Robson collected kickbacks from specialty pharmacies, a nerve conduction testing company and brace suppliers for medically unnecessary orders and prescriptions from doctors' offices. Those orders and prescriptions would be billed to insurance and reimbursed at high rates. Robson admitted federal insurance programs paid millions of dollars for medically unnecessary prescriptions that he, Bowman and Ray received commissions on.
“This was a crime of greed and indifference to the consequences of the actions to the overall health system,” U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona said in statement. “The crime cost insurers millions of dollars, and it exploited vulnerable patients trying to get appropriate medical care, not run up the tab on insurance. We will continue to fight hard to keep our community safe from serious crimes like this one.”