A doctor in federal prison for chemotherapy fraud was among those recently pardoned by President Biden, who has acknowledged the president's longstanding advocacy for cancer patients and survivors. When you think about it, this is a complete contrast.
Biden's sweeping clemency package last week included commuting the sentences of about 1,500 prisoners. Including Meera Sachdevaa Mississippi oncologist who was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to chemotherapy fraud.
Sachdeva administered only a portion of the cancer medication prescribed to the patient and billed him for the entire amount.
Sachdeva pleaded guilty in 2012 to federal charges that she defrauded health insurance providers and Medicare by submitting false insurance claims on behalf of patients she treated.
In addition to her prison sentence, she was also ordered to pay approximately $8.2 million in restitution.
U.S. prosecutors said that from 2007 to 2011, Sachdeva's patients believed they received the same amount of chemotherapy as was billed to their respective health benefit plans; , stated that he was receiving reduced medication, which was less than the amount prescribed and billed. Chemotherapy drugs.
A federal district court judge in Jackson, Mississippi, said he was “appalled” by Sachdeva's treatment of the patient at a critical point in his life.
“Senting this woman to prison for the next 20 years is miniscule compared to the harm she has caused,” U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III said in court.
“The health care fraud committed by these defendants was an abuse of the public trust driven by greed,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. statement to make Sahadeva's original prison sentence for his guilty plea.
“We remain committed to protecting the integrity of our health care system and will continue to strictly enforce federal health care laws.”
The news comes as certain names on Biden's pardon list have come under intense scrutiny.
Among those whose sentences were commuted or pardoned were Toyosi Aratishu, who abused his position as a patient caregiver for someone with severe mental deficiencies or physical disabilities and used personal information to file fraudulent tax returns; and former Pennsylvania judge and convicted felon Michael Conahan. In 2011, he won an award for his role in the “Kids for Cash” scheme, which sent children to for-profit detention centers in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks from private organizations. prison.
Biden's leniency toward Sachdeva's lawsuit also stands out from his history of advocacy on behalf of cancer patients.
In 2016, then-Vice President Biden launched Cancer Moonshot, which aims to bring together cancer researchers and accelerate scientific discoveries in cancer research.
The initiative was announced shortly after Biden's son, Beau Biden, died of a rare brain tumor.
In a statement announcing the new amnesty package last week, Biden said the United States was “built on possibility and the promise of second chances.”
“As President, I will grant mercy to those who have shown remorse and rehabilitation, restore opportunities for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and sentence nonviolent offenders, especially those who have been convicted. “We have the great honor of taking steps to eliminate disparities and reduce the number of drug crimes,” Biden said.
