Tue 10 Mar 2009 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A gay doctor in Los Angeles has admitted to scamming a government health funder and private health insurers of thousands of dollars in an AIDS-related billing scam. George Steven Kooshian was caught administering diluted doses of medicine to mostly gay patients suffering with HIV, AIDS or hepatitis and billing the federal government and private insurers the full cost of treatment. Federal agents believe he stole as much as $660,000 with this scheme, which is likely to have harmed the patients who sought his help, by substituting medicine with an ineffective mixture of of saline solution and liquid vitamins, then charging up to $9,000 per shot. Ironically, Kooshian was a high-profile benefactor to the Orange County gay community and several community members at first defended him as blameless when an investigation started in 2001. He faces up to 50 years in prison and a $1.32 million fine.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 10th March 2009 - 10:25am