SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – A Boca Raton man has been convicted of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare and falsifying medical records through their home healthcare company based in California.
In a scheme that lasted from 2018 to 2020, evidence at trial determined Simon Katz, 43, profited $300,000 and his company – HealthNow Home Healthcare, located in Hayward, Calif. – received more than $3 million in submitted claims, the United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of California said in a July 23 news release. Katz is the CEO of HealthNow.
On July 23, Katz was convicted by a federal jury after he conspired with his wife – former CEO of HealthNow, Veronica Katz – and committed healthcare fraud. Katz’s conviction came after a six-day trial in federal court.
How did the Florida couple defraud Medicare?
Evidence presented at Simon Katz’s trial said he and Veronica agreed to defraud Medicare by:
- Having unqualified professionals care for home health patients outside their authorized scope
- Billing Medicare for services never provided
- Falsifying documents to the California Department of Health inspectors for the ability to bill Medicare
- Instructing former employees to lie to federal officials to conceal fraud activity.
Trial evidence showed that in October 2019, Katz tried to thwart the investigation by telling the employee to say they were trained and supervised by a Registered Nurse while working with patients.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian also said the couple altered medical records and forged doctor’s signatures – which resulted in millions stolen from hardworking American taxpayers.
What they’re saying:
“This verdict underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs and the patients who rely on them,” Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble of the FBI San Francisco Field Office said. “Katz and his co-conspirators orchestrated a deliberate scheme that put vulnerable patients at risk and stole from Medicare. We will continue working with our partners to ensure those who defraud our health care system are held accountable.”
“Successfully uncovering and prosecuting complex health care fraud schemes like this one requires years of determined investigative work and close coordination among federal and state partners,” Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) San Francisco Regional Office said. “This verdict reflects the steadfast efforts of HHS OIG and our law enforcement partners. HHS OIG will continue collaborating with our partners to protect Medicare and uphold the integrity of the programs and patients we are entrusted to serve.”
Other convictions in this investigation
Katz – who is the fourth defendant convicted in connection with this investigation – is currently in federal custody.
Previous convictions include:
- Co-defendant Veronica Katz pleaded guilty to health care fraud on April 18, 2024. She was sentenced on December 9, 2024 to two years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $543,634.34 to Medicare and pay a $50,000 fine.
- Vennesa Herrera and Pharadja Andrews pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2021, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud.
What’s next:
Simon Katz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of California.