Michael Bang, of Mesa, Arizona, was indicted on 20 counts of health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud following the investigation of a health care fraud scheme targeting the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (COPERA).
According to the Department of Justice, Bang was able to steal around $300,000 through his health care fraud scheme. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered that Bang had been taking advantage of COPERA’s health insurance program, PERACare, for his role as a retired public employee of Colorado. PERACare utilized Express Scripts to administer the prescription coverage of its patients. Although Bang received prescriptions from the program, he filed for reimbursements for more expensive versions of the drugs he had received or for prescriptions he had not received at all. For several years, the health care fraud scheme orchestrated by Bang was successful and grew to involve three pharmacies.
As part of his health care fraud scheme, Bang forged the signatures of pharmacists, while falsifying the prescription numbers on the submitted reimbursement forms. Bang also requested reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses that had never been utilized.
The indictment took place in November of 2018, and Bang has since plead guilty to one count of health care fraud. However, sentencing will occur in October of 2019.
