Former NH doc pleads guilty to $1.9M Medicare fraud scheme

CONCORD - A former New Hampshire doctor pleaded guilty on Wednesday today in federal court to health care fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing durable medical equipment without ever seeing, speaking to, or otherwise examining patients, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Steven Powell, 53, of Alpharetta, Ga., pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for Aug.30, 2023. Powell was charged via Information on April 27.

Powell agreed to electronically sign orders for durable medical equipment such as knee and ankle braces, that he knew were used to submit more than $1.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Powell received kickbacks in exchange for each doctor's order he signed authorizing the devices that were not medically necessary, and not legitimately prescribed.

Wednesday's statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office did not divulge in which area of the Granite State he practiced.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain.

The FBI and DHHS led the investigation.