Washington psychologist sentenced for Tricare fraud

From the Navy Times

A Seattle psychologist has agreed to pay $510,000 to the federal government and was sentenced Friday, April 6, to 12 months and one day in prison for defrauding a Defense Department health insurance program.

Dr. David Celio, 63, pleaded guilty in November to one count of health care fraud for repeatedly filing bogus claims for reimbursement with Tricare, which covers retired military personnel, reservists and spouses and children of active-duty troops.

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman also sentenced Celio to two years of supervised release after he serves his sentence.

Celio saw patients in Everett, Mukilteo and in Oak Harbor, near the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, according to the government.

His fraudulent practices included billing for individual and family therapy sessions that did not occur; billing for in-person counseling sessions when Celio talked to a patient by phone; and billing multiple family members for individual counseling sessions after a family therapy session, according to court papers.

The Washington state Department of Health opened an investigation of Celio after receiving a copy of the plea agreement in December. That investigation is continuing, according to a department spokesman.