Poplar Bluff doctor & wife indicted on federal health care fraud charges

Dr. Devendra Varma, M.D., is a family practice physician, licensed to practice medicine by the State of Missouri. Haven Hills Medical Clinic (HHMC),1611 Lurlyn Road, Poplar Bluff, is owned by the Varmas' and has its own laboratory on site. Central Pharmacy is registered with the Missouri Board of Pharmacy and the owner of the permit is Veena Varma. Central Pharmacy is also registered with the Missouri Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a retail pharmacy located at 1611 Lurlyn Road.

The indictment alleges that Dr. Varma saw patients at the Haven Hills Medical Clinic, which was open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No other physician or nurse practitioner saw patients at Haven Hills Medical Clinic. He falsely reported in patient medical records that he had examined and evaluated 92 Medicare and Medicaid patients on January 9, 2007, and 75 Medicare and Medicaid patients on January 2, 2009. Dr. Devendra and Veena Varma falsely represented in reimbursement claims that Varma had spent 25 minutes face to face with each patient. This represented a total of 38.3 hours on January 9, 2007 and a total of 31.25 hours on January 2, 2009, which is obviously impossible.

The indictment states that on January 9, 2007, Dr. Varma falsely represented that he had spent 25 minutes examining and evaluating one patient, and on the same date, Varma gave this patient 11 prescriptions for the following drugs: Hydroxyzine Pamoate (Vistaril), Carisoprodol (Soma), Gabapentin (Neurontin), Promethazine HCL (Phenergan), Lipitor, Lexapro, Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen (Vicodin), Premarin, Omeprazole (Prilosec), Ranitidine (Zantac), and Alprazolam (Xanax). The prescriptions were filled at Central Pharmacy.

The indictment further alleges that on January 2, 2009, Varma falsely represented that he had spent 25 minutes examining and evaluating a patient, and on that same date gave the patient 18 prescriptions for the following drugs: Diovan, Triamterene HCTZ (Dyazide), Glyburide Micronized, Aspirin, Ranitidine (Zantac), Albuterol Sulfate, Nasonex, Lovastatin, Detrol LA, Cenestin, Levothyroxin Sodium (Synthroid), Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen (Vicodin), Amitriptyline HCL (Elavil), Truetrack test strip, Ibuprofen, Diphenhydramine HCL (Benadryl), Alprazolam (Xanax), and Metfromin HCL. The prescriptions were filled at Central Pharmacy.

Finally, the indictment charges that the defendants submitted fraudulent statements to Medicare and Medicaid for non-rendered services.

Devendra Varma, 76; his wife Winifred, a/k/a Veena Varma, 74; both of Poplar Bluff, were each indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on two felony counts of health care fraud.

If convicted, each count of health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

Reap commended the work on the case by the U. S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Poplar Bluff Police Department, and Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy McMurtry, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.