Howard County Pharmacy Owner Indicted For Health Care Fraud

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 22 Jun 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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A federal grand jury yesterday indicted Pamela Arrey, age 48, of Glenelg, Maryland, for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the 13 count indictment, Arrey owned and operated two pharmacies trading as the Medicine Shoppe, on Liberty Road and Reisterstown Road in Baltimore. From January 2003 to July 2008, Arrey allegedly claimed reimbursement from health care benefit programs for purported "refills" of prescriptions which patients had never requested and for which no prescription drugs were ever dispensed to customers. The indictment seeks forfeiture of property obtained by Arrey as a result of the scheme, including $350,000 and residential property located in Glenelg, Maryland.

The indictment also alleges that Arrey used the identity of patients to carry out the health care fraud scheme. Arrey faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the 12 counts of health care fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for aggravated identity theft. No court appearance has been scheduled.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Tonya Kelly Kowitz, who are prosecuting the case.

Source
U.S. Food and Drug Administration