Manalapan, New Jersey Dentist Sentenced for Health Care Claims Fraud in Insurance Billing Scam

September 21, 2007 -- TRENTON - New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a Manalapan dentist was sentenced today for an insurance billing scam.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Gary Osmanoff, 45, of Marlboro, was ordered by Superior Court Judge Bette Uhrmacher in Monmouth County to serve three years probation and to repay $1,585. Osmanoff previously paid $20,915 in restitution. Osmanoff’s dentistry license was also suspended for one year. The sentence is pursuant to Osmanoff’s July 23 guilty plea to a criminal accusation which charged him with health care claims fraud.

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At the guilty plea hearing before Judge Uhrmacher, Osmanoff, a state-licensed dentist whose office is in Manalapan, admitted that between August 2, 2001 and June 24, 2004, he submitted false and fraudulent insurance claims to several dental insurance companies. Specifically, Osmanoff admitted that he falsely billed Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation, Delta Dental Insurance Company, MetLife Insurance Company and Aetna Insurance Company.

Osmanoff admitted that he submitted insurance claims purporting to have provided dental services to patients when, in fact, the dental services were not provided. Osmanoff admitted that he falsely billed the insurance companies approximately $98,000 and was paid approximately $22,500 on the claims. The bills related to approximately 106 dates when he falsely represented he provided dental services to approximately 17 patients.

State Investigator Natalie Brotherston, Civil Investigator Eric Flickinger and Deputy Attorney General Joan M. Burke were assigned to the investigation. Burke represented the state at the sentencing. The matter will be referred to the state Board of Dentistry for any action it deems appropriate with regard to Osmanoff’s license.

Prosecutor Brown thanked the insurance companies for their referrals and their assistance in this investigation.

The Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor was established by the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act of 1998. The office is the centralized state agency that investigates and prosecutes both civil and criminal insurance fraud, as well as Medicaid fraud.

Source: New Jersey Attorney General