The anesthesiologist has been sentenced to 18 months of probation. He plead guilty to one count of felony health care fraud involving fraudulent billing practices, according to the Delaware State News. He will also pay $10,000 to cover investigative costs to the state, a $50,000 fine, and $250,000 in restitution to the state Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance. Cemerlic will not be imprisoned but his life as a medical professional has likely ended.
In recent years the massive amount of fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid billing system has come to light. While the government is eager to crack down on such fraud, the complex bureaucracy leads to very challenging investigations for prosecutors. Furthermore, in their zeal to punish the guilty, innocent people are often accused or put under a microscope by enthusiastic investigators. Anyone who is accused of Medicare or Medicaid fraud or believes they may be under investigation should act immediately and contact a skilled defense attorney with extensive experience in this complex area of the law.