Suburban doctor indicted on health care fraud scheme

FILE – A doctor uses a hand-held Doppler probe on a pregnant woman to measure the heartbeat of the fetus on Dec. 17, 2021, in Jackson, Miss. COVID-19 drove…

FILE – A doctor uses a hand-held Doppler probe on a pregnant woman to measure the heartbeat of the fetus on Dec. 17, 2021, in Jackson, Miss. COVID-19 drove a dramatic increase in the number of women who died from pregnancy or childbirth complications in the U.S. last year, a crisis that has disproportionately claimed Black and Hispanic women as victims, according to a report released Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Northwest suburban physician accused of collecting nearly $800,000 in fraudulent claims

by: Alonzo Small

Posted: Mar 16, 2023 / 09:14 PM CDT

Updated: Mar 17, 2023 / 03:49 PM CDT

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — A northwest suburban doctor has been indicted on 13 counts of healthcare fraud, alleging obtaining close to $800,000 in reimbursement for medical services never provided to patients.

Mona Ghosh, a licensed physician who owned and operated Progressive Women’s Healthcare S.C. in Hoffman Estates, allegedly submitted fraudulent claims from February 2018 to April 2022, according to a federal indictment.

Prosecutors allege that Ghosh obtained $796,000 in fraudulent payments from multiple healthcare benefit programs, such as TRICARE and Medicaid, for claims that include:

Telemedicine visits when Ghosh allegedly did not speak to the patient
Office visits and procedures when Ghosh reportedly did not see the patient
Procedures predicated on false diagnosis
Medically unnecessary procedures and tests, including endometrial ablations and laboratory testing

“Targeting government and private healthcare programs relied on by the public to maintain their well-being is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual. “In addition to submitting false claims, the allegation that the defendant performed medically unnecessary procedures to enrich herself is particularly disturbing. This office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who steal from healthcare programs and who needlessly put patients at risk.”

Progressive Women’s Healthcare S.C. in Hoffman Estates has closed permanently.

The FBI believes there may be many more unidentified victims. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal state law. The FBI asks potential victims to visit https://www.fbi.gov/MonaGhoshInvestigation to see if they are eligible for services.