GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A former Battle Creek doctor was sentenced to five years behind bars followed by two years of supervised release for performing sinus surgeries that were not needed.
Dr. Daniel Castro was also ordered to pay back $1.97 million to former patients, health insurers, Medicare, Medicaid and Bronson Hospital, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Michigan (DOJ).
We’re told Dr. Castro pleaded guilty in April of last year to falsifying healthcare statements, admitting he defrauded healthcare programs between February 2015 and May 2017.
The DOJ says Dr. Castro made false records of patients’ symptoms and what appeared in their CT scans. He also sent bills to insurance agencies for surgeries of lymph nodes, and other complex cancer-related procedures.
“The criminal activities of Dr. Daniel Castro – performing unnecessary sinus surgeries – are sickening,” says U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Dr. Castro brazenly trampled the core promise of the Hippocratic Oath – to act in the best interests of the patient – and did so for his own financial gain. Our health care system depends on patients being able to trust their medical providers at every step, especially when deciding to go under the knife. I’m grateful for the vast majority of providers who keep their promise, and we will do our very best to root out criminals like Dr. Castro who lie and steal for their own advantage.”
Dr. Castro has since repaid $1 million to victims so far, according to the DOJ.
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