(Image source from: ET HealthWorld)

An Indian-origin neurologist in Louisiana has been charged with conspiracy to unlawfully dispense controlled substances and commit healthcare fraud in the United States.

The 62-year-old Anil Prasad was charged with one count of prescribing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate purpose and one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, the U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser said.

According to court documents, between November 2016 and July 2018, Prasad worked at a pain management clinic in Slidell and, during the course of his employment, he pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, without performing patient examinations to determine medical necessity.

In addition, Prasad knew that certain of those patients used their federal insurance program Medicare and Medicaid benefits to fill those prescriptions. In total, Medicare and Medicaid paid close to USD 1.65 million dollars for those prescriptions.

Prasad will face a possible maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment and a USD 1.25 million dollar fine on both counts he is charged with.

By Sowmya Sangam