COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus physician and his medical clinic were found guilty today of overbilling Medicaid by $1.5 million. Dr. Robert Florea and his company, Buckeye Health and Research, were convicted by a Franklin County jury on one count of Medicaid fraud, a third-degree felony. The indictment of both defendants occurred in December 2022.
The Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s investigation revealed that Florea billed the Ohio Department of Medicaid for medical equipment—specifically braces for joints and back pain—that he never actually purchased. Over a three-year period, Florea submitted claims for more than 5,100 pieces of equipment, yet records indicated he had only acquired 460 of those items.
A sentencing date for Dr. Florea has not yet been scheduled, and he faces the possibility of significant penalties following his conviction.