Feds: Suburban doc took kickbacks for referring dying patients

By Sam Wood, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: August 02, 2012

A suburban Philadelphia doctor who provided hospice care for the terminally ill was charged with taking kickbacks for referring dying Medicare and Medicaid patients to a health care company where he worked part-time, the U.S. Attorney's office announced Thursday.

Yevgeniy "Eugene" Goldman, 54, of Huntingdon Valley, had a private practice in Philadelphia but also worked as a part-time medical director for Home Care Hospice, Inc. in Northeast Philadelphia. He was arrested Thursday morning following the unsealing of a grand jury indictment charging him with multiple violations of the federal anti-kickback statute and conspiracy.

Federal prosecutors allege Goldman conspired with HCH's hospice director, Alex Pugman, and Pugman's wife, HCH executive Svetlana Ganetsky, in a scheme that bilked Medicare and Medicaid of more than $228,000.

The plot played out between 2000 and 2008, according to the indictment. Goldman, who was already being paid $100 an hour by HCH, directed his private patients to HCH. In return, Pugman and Ganetsky wrote checks for kickbacks on HCH accounts or paid out in cash, according to the indictment. HCH then submitted invoices to Medicare or Medicaid for reimbursement.

The indictment also states that Ganetsky paid out kickbacks and bribes to other health care professionals for referrals.

Federal law prohibits bribes, kickbacks or rebates for referrals for services made under any health care program.

Pugman, Ganetsky, and HCH owner Matthew Kolodesh were also charged in separate indictments, said a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office.

Contact Sam Wood at 215-854-2796 or samwood@phillynews.com.

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