WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Some 412 doctors, nurses and other medical providers have been charged with healthcare fraud, including supplying addicts with opiate-based pain killers at government expense, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.
"Too many trusted medical professionals like doctors, nurses and pharmacists have chosen to violate their oaths and put greed ahead of their patients," Sessions said. "Some have made their practices into multimillion dollar criminal enterprises."
Sessions labeled the authorities’ effort as the "largest healthcare fraud takedown operation in American history."
As part of the effort, 205 healthcare providers are being suspended or banned from participation in any federal healthcare program, Sessions explained.
In addition, 120 practitioners have been charged with opiate-related crimes such as billing government healthcare programs like Medicare with fake prescriptions, Sessions noted.
