FRAUDULENT PAYMENTS Richard Ferdinand Toussaint Jr., MD, was found guilty last week of submitting $10 million worth of false claims to insurers.

A Dallas, Texas, anesthesiologist who submitted more than $10 million worth of bogus claims — including one that said he was supervising CRNAs while he was, in fact, under anesthesia himself — was convicted last week of fraud in federal court.

A jury found Richard Ferdinand Toussaint Jr., MD, guilty of running a scheme that defrauded several big insurance companies, including Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare and others, by billing for medical supervision of CRNAs when he was not actually present for the procedures, says the U.S. Attorney's office.

Dr. Toussaint submitted claims that showed him personally overseeing CRNAs during cases, though it was later discovered that he was actually out of the state, on his private jet, working in another hospital, and in one instance, undergoing surgery himself, during these procedures. The government notes that Dr. Toussaint submitted claims saying he was medically directing 6 patients at 2 different hospitals at the same time he was scheduled to undergo surgery.

Dr. Toussaint also claimed that procedures took longer than they actually did and pre-signed patients' medical records representing the services were provided before the procedures even took place, say prosecutors.

Dr. Toussaint provided the anesthesia services personally and through a company he founded, Ascendant Anesthesia, between 2009 and 2010. The group has since cut ties with Dr. Toussaint and has said that "the allegations against Dr. Toussaint pertain to conduct in his private practice dating to 2009, and, as such, they do not implicate Ascendant Anesthesia." Dr. Toussaint also co-founded a for-profit luxury hospital chain called Forest Park Medical Center, which has also severed ties with him and is currently facing financial difficulties of its own, with several of its facilities closing and filing for bankruptcy.

Dr. Toussaint faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the 7 counts. Additionally, he will have to pay restitution and forfeit any property traced back to the fraud, including his collection of Bentleys, Rolls Royces and other luxury vehicles, says the U.S. Attorney's office. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

A telephone number listed for Dr. Toussaint was disconnected. His attorney, Richard Roper, did not immediately return requests from Outpatient Surgery for comment.

Kendal Gapinski