Urgent Care Doctor Accused of Medicare, Insurance Fraud

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CANTON, MI – A Canton physician has been charged with multiple felonies in a health-care fraud scheme for allegedly billing Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for services he didn’t provide, authorities said Tuesday.

Dr. Bassel Altantawi, 45, of Farmington Hills, is the only practicing physician at Canton Urgent Care, located at 43033 Ford Road in Canton.

“We will continue to identify and prosecute unscrupulous health care providers who waste limited health-care dollars by fraudulently seeking payment for services they never provided,” Schuette said in the statement. “Michigan residents should feel confident that when they see a physician, they receive honest, quality care and accurate billing based on the services provided to them by a physician.”

Schuette filed the following charges against Altantawi on Tuesday in the City of East Lansing’s 54-B District Court:

• Nine counts of Medicaid Fraud, punishable by up to 4 years in prison, and/or a fine of $50,000; and,
• 12 counts of Health Care Fraud, punishable by up to 4 years in prison, and/or a fine of $50,000; and,
• One count of Continuing Criminal Enterprise, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and/or a fine of not more than $100,000.

Altantawi was arraigned before Judge Richard Ball and released on $25,000 personal recognizance bond. He is next due in court on Monday, May 9, for a preliminary conference.

Schuette noted the contribution of Blue Cross Blue Shield fraud investigators in assisting with the investigation.

Any patient who was seen by Altantawi who believes that he billed for services never provided is encouraged to call the Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division hotline at 1-800-24-ABUSE.