Queens Company Under Investigation for Medicare Fraud

News Summary

Almaz Med Supply, a company in Queens, is facing scrutiny for allegedly billing Medicare for medical supplies that were never ordered or received. Various victims have reported that they never required supplies from the company, leading to a total of $25,600 in improper payments from Medicare. Despite investigations revealing troubling patterns of claims, the company remains active, prompting concerns over the pervasive issue of Medicare fraud which costs the government billions annually.

Queens – A company based in Queens, Almaz Med Supply, is under investigation for allegedly committing Medicare fraud by billing the government for medical supplies that patients never ordered or received. The fraudulent activities have come to light following an investigation that began in February 2024, revealing a disturbing pattern of claims that resulted in significant payments from Medicare for supplies that were never delivered to patients.

The investigation has identified multiple victims, including Linda Christensen from Pennsylvania, Katherine Hensley from Florida, and Jennye Keefer from Maryland. All three women reported that they did not require medical supplies from Almaz Med Supply, and neither Keefer nor Hensley have ever visited Queens. Christensen confirmed she had never even heard of the business.

From March to June 2023 and again from December to January 2024, Medicare made payments totaling $25,600 to Almaz Med Supply for claims related to wound dressings, glucose monitors, and catheters. The allegations raise concern about how the company obtained the victims’ Medicare numbers and how the fraudulent claims were processed and approved.

Claire Rosenzweig, representing the Better Business Bureau, disclosed that since last fall, they have received eight similar complaints regarding Almaz Med Supply. She highlighted that hackers can easily access personal information through various means, which often leads to fraudulent claims against Medicare.

The company is registered to Zurab Tsotskhalashvili. Investigative efforts revealed that an apartment in Brooklyn is associated with Tsotskhalashvili, although attempts to reach him at that location were unsuccessful. A neighbor indicated that Almaz Med Supply has had minimal visible activity since opening about three to five years ago.

A former owner of Almaz Med Supply reported an uptick in fraud allegations shortly after selling the business, suggesting that unauthorized activities may have commenced under the new ownership. This incident mirrors previous findings from a CBS News investigation, which uncovered another New York business involved in billing Medicare for unrequested catheters.

The prevalence of Medicare fraud has reached alarming levels, with federal estimates suggesting that such fraudulent activities, along with errors and abuse, cost the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approximately $60 billion each year. Although the previous administration initiated measures to combat Medicare fraud, the current status of those initiatives remains unclear as HHS has not provided responses to inquiries regarding the ongoing issues related to such fraudulent claims.

While HHS has stated they possess mechanisms to recover improperly paid claims, the reality is that losses from these types of fraud continue to occur. The case of Almaz Med Supply illustrates the need for heightened vigilance and stricter enforcement in order to protect Medicare beneficiaries and safeguard taxpayer dollars against fraud.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

Additional Resources

• CBS News: Queens Medical Supply Store Medicare Charges
• Wikipedia: Medicare fraud
• McKnight’s Senior Living: Physician Faces Decades in Prison for $24 Million Medicare Fraud
• Google Search: Medicare Fraud
• AsAm News: Queens Doctor Medicare Fraud
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Health Care Fraud
• News 10: NYC Doctor Convicted of $24M Medical Fraud
• Google Scholar: Medicare Fraud
• RegTech Times: Dr. Alexander Baldonado Convicted in $24M Medicare Fraud
• Google News: Health Care Fraud