Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced last week that investigators from her office have arrested and charged an East Meadow podiatrist with bilking the Medicare and Medicaid programs of more than $30,000 over an 18-month period.

Dr. Alan Cantor, 47, of Jericho, was arrested last week and charged with Grand Larceny and Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and Petit Larceny. In nearly a dozen incidents, the doctor billed the state and federal healthcare programs for treatments performed on patients who were deceased.

In announcing the most recent sting by her Medicaid Fraud Unit, Rice released the telephone number of a newly-created hotline that the public can use to report allegations of Medicaid and Medicare fraud. Rice said that callers have the option of remaining anonymous and that her office will aggressively investigate allegations received by the hotline.

The phone number is 1-888-633-4311.

"Healthcare fraud costs Nassau County taxpayers millions of dollars per year," said Rice. "My administration will continue to lead the way when it comes to combating this growing problem. In our aggressive prosecution of these cases, we will be going after money that we can deposit directly back into the coffers of state and federal government. I urge residents to utilize this hotline and to immediately report suspicious billing or incidents of suspected fraud."

In April 2007, Rice created Long Island's first Medicaid Fraud Unit. In fewer than 12 months, specially trained investigators and prosecutors from District Attorney Rice's office have uncovered and prosecuted six cases of Medicaid and Medicare fraud, amounting to more than $2.3 million in taxpayer dollars.

Wednesday's arrest is the culmination of a two-year investigation into fraud allegations at Dr. Cantor's Meadowbrook Foot Care PC, located at 2302 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow. The facility is across the street from the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC), where the doctor often treated patients. He serves as a registered healthcare provider with Medicaid and Medicare.

The investigation was launched in 2006 after a retired Nassau County police officer noticed a suspicious listing on the Explanation of Benefits portion of his insurance statements. The retired officer had never been treated by Meadowbrook Foot Care and he referred the matter to county authorities. District Attorney investigators and agents from the United States Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) would later uncover $67,967.96 in bogus bills the doctor submitted to the Medicare and Medicaid programs from December 3, 2004 to September 7, 2006. Dr. Cantor successfully obtained $31,383.42 in bogus repayments from Medicare (Grand Larceny 3 degree) and an additional $97.22 from Medicaid (Petit Larceny). Medicare rejected $36,487.32 of phony reimbursements (Attempted Grand Larceny 3 degree).

Special Agent in Charge Gary Heuer stated, "HHS-OIG-OI is committed to working with all levels of government in the prosecution of perpetrators of healthcare fraud. The investigation and arrest of Dr. Cantor is a prime example of the cases where state, county, and local statutes provide an effective avenue for the prosecution of healthcare fraud. It is our hope that district attorney offices throughout the State of New York continue to pursue these offenders as diligently as Nassau County did with Dr. Cantor."

Medicaid is a state-run healthcare program assisting individuals and families of limited financial resources. The program is heavily funded by individual counties and Rice said that her fraud unit will continue to work closely with the county to uncover and return taxpayer dollars to the state and federal coffers.

Medicare is a federal healthcare program assisting the elderly and infirmed. The program is funded by federal tax dollars.

Cantor was arraigned last week in First District Court, Hempstead. Bail was set at $3,000 bond or $1,500 cash. He faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

Handling the case for the District Attorney's Office is Assistant District Attorney Andrew Weiss, of the District Attorney's Government & Consumer Frauds Bureau. Cantor is being represented by Lawrence DiGiansante, of the Bronx.

District Attorney Rice thanked the United States Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General for assistance in this investigation.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.