A California physician has admitted to her role in a healthcare fraud scheme that siphoned at least $1.4 million from Medicare, the Office of Public Affairs reported. Dr. Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, based in Porter Ranch, entered a guilty plea to federal charges of healthcare fraud for falsely certifying patients as eligible for Medicare-covered home health services.
From January 2012 to July 2018, Baltaian's fraudulent activities involved her collaboration with at least four home health agencies in the Los Angeles area, which used her false certifications to bill for unnecessary services. Court documentation reveals that the physician was remunerated with cash for these referrals and even claimed funds for signing the fake certifications. According to the Office of Public Affairs, the loss to Medicare due to these fraudulent activities is significant, amounting to over one million dollars.
The case against Baltaian is part of a larger federal crackdown on healthcare fraud, as overseen by the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. This initiative, formed in March 2007, has brought charges against thousands of defendants who have collectively been responsible for billing health care programs and private insurers over $27 billion. Baltaian is due for sentencing on April 3, 2025, where she faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars, as detailed by the Office of Public Affairs.
Officials leading the investigation include Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the HHS-OIG's Los Angeles Regional Office, and Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Matthew Belz, and Eric Schmale of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
