A Southern California doctor accused of bilking Medicare out of millions by billing for unnecessary hospice services has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, federal prosecutors said.
Dr. Victor Contreras, 69, of Santa Paula was charged with falsifying medical claims for hospice care between July 2016 and February 2019 — billing the federal insurance program nearly $4 million during that time, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
He pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud on July 24, and will have to pay nearly $3.3 million in restitution in addition to prison time.
Federal prosecutors say Contreras and 62-year-old Juanita Antenor submitted fraudulent claims through two hospice companies: Arcadia Hospice Provider Inc. and Saint Mariam Hospice Inc.
Antenor, who controlled both companies, paid illegal kickbacks to marketers in exchange for referring patients to these companies, authorities said.
Among those alleged marketers was 66-year-old Callie Black of Lancaster, who was charged in 2022 with 10 federal counts of healthcare fraud and paying illegal kickbacks for healthcare referrals. Black has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in March.
Prosecutors say Contreras would falsely note terminal illnesses on claim forms to make patients eligible for hospice services via Medicare. Medicare paid about $3.2 million out of the $3.9 million false claims submitted by Contreras, despite him not being the patients’ primary care physician.
Since 2015, Contreras has been on probation with the Medical Board of California, which placed limitations on his practice.
Antenor remains at large. Authorities previously said they believed she may be in the Philippines.
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