Do you find that you often have trouble sleeping? If you’re the type to toss and turn for long durations before getting some actual shuteye each night, you’re certainly not alone. According to the 2024 sleep statistics reported by SingleCare, “the average person gets less than seven hours of sleep every night and 50 to 70 million adults in the U.S. are affected by a sleep disorder.”
What help is available for those who have sleep disorders?
Sleep clinics conduct diagnostic sleep studies known as polysomnograms. The tests seek to identify such disorders as sleep apnea and narcolepsy. As you may expect, these tests are generally conducted overnight. They take place at high-tech labs with technicians who record the brain activities of the patients. The technicians also study selected information from the bodies of the participants.
“Together, this data reveal a detailed picture of your unique sleep patterns - including how much time you spend in light and deep stages, whether you’re receiving enough oxygen, how often you awaken (even slightly), and whether sleep is disrupted by factors such as arm and leg movements,” informs Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Former Fresno sleep clinic owner sentenced for Medicare fraud.
As reported by the Eastern District of California branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office this past Monday, 45 year-old Travis Gober was sentenced to 19 months in prison. The Hanford, California resident was found guilty of committing health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was found to have submitted more than $1 million in fraudulent claims for sleep studies to Medicare.
Gober was the owner of the VIP Sleep Center. It operated sleep clinics in both Fresno and Tulare Counties. Court records showed that between October 2019 and September 2021, Gober caused the VIP Sleep Center to submit thousands of claims. In total, nearly $1 million was submitted to Medicare for sleep studies that were not actually performed on patients.
The claims falsely stated that the patients were referred.
According to the report, Medicare will not pay for a sleep study unless the patient was referred by a physician. Gober claimed that physicians he previously worked with referred the patients for the sleep studies he submitted claims for.
“Gober committed this fraud, at least in part, to try to payoff financial debts and address other financial difficulties that his brother, Jeremy Gober, had caused the VIP Sleep Center and him to incur without his knowledge or consent,” informs the U.S. Attorney’s Office, “Travis Gober’s brother, Jeremy Gober, was previously charged with, and has pleaded guilty to, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft related to other sleep clinics in the Central Valley. Jeremy Gober is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2024.”
Are you an attorney who is currently working a healthcare fraud case?
The clinical experts at Allegiant Experts can help you! We coordinate and support courageous whistleblowers that shine lights on fraud, waste and abuse. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 407-217-5831. You may also email us at info@allegiantexperts.com.
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