Inverness physician pleads guilty to federal fraud charges

An Inverness physician on Thursday admitted to submitting fraudulent claims, resulting in more than $1.5 million in reimbursements, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

Mona Ghosh, 51, owner of Progressive Women’s Healthcare in Hoffman Estates, pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud for submitting or causing her employees to submit fraudulent claims to insurers for procedures that were not provided, not medically necessary, or performed without patient consent, the release said. Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.

Ghosh also inflated the nature of in-office and telemedicine visits, and submitted claims using billing codes that did not qualify for higher reimbursement rates, her plea agreement states.

Federal prosecutors say Ghosh is responsible for at least $2.4 million in unlawfully obtained reimbursements; Ghosh admitted in her plea agreement that she is accountable for more than $1.5 million. The final amount will be determined by the court at sentencing, according to the release.

U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama set sentencing for Oct. 22.