Although urgent care centers are a quick, convenient alternative to going to the hospital for patients, two doctors from Scranton, PA, seem to have mistaken working for one as a convenient “get rich quick” scheme.
Dr. Rajaa Nebbari, 44, and Dr. Chetan Byhadgi, 52, worked at Advanced Urgent Care on Mulberry St. in Scranton but are now no longer employed there. Last Tuesday, Oct. 20, they were charged with Medicaid fraud, conspiracy, theft by deception, and insurance fraud, according to the Scranton-area ABC affiliate WNEP.com.
The charges stem from a raid on the Advanced Urgent Care facility back in July. At the crux of the suit, the state attorney general’s office is accusing them of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare programs, private insurance, and medical assistance.
They also allegedly instructed other unqualified staff working in the clinic to write prescriptions for controlled substances. According to reports, they still own a family urgent care center in the area but no longer work at the Advanced Urgent Care center their charges came from. They worked at that location while it was under a different name.
There are more than 6,800 urgent care centers in the U.S., according to the Urgent Care Association of America. Estimates show that about three million patients visit an urgent care center every week in the United States, which is no surprise considering the average visit will cost $1,350 less than a trip to the hospital.
As these types of locations continue to grow in popularity and prevalence, patients should keep in mind the reputation of the professionals they’re dealing with and report any activity that looks suspicious.