MARNI BLUMFALD

In one case, the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario disciplined one of its members because of what she did privately.

Blumfald, a Thornhill physiotherapist, forged the signatures of other health-care providers on fake claims for health services and products for herself that she never received. Blumfald received more than $10,000 in payments from her insurance company, Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan, for these false claims between 2009 and 2011.

While she submitted the claims for herself outside her physiotherapy practice, the college discipline panel stated that it felt it “had an obligation to deter the profession at large” and to show the public that the profession “takes its role as a regulator seriously.”

Discipline: Six-month suspension, which was lowered to three months when Blumfald took an ethics course, paid $3,000 in costs to the college, and allowed the college to monitor her practice for three years.

Response: Blumfald stressed to the Star that she did not submit the false bills as part of her practice and repaid her insurance company.

“It was my own personal health benefits,” she said.

“If I went to physio or I went to massage, I got receipts. It was my stuff I submitted. Then my insurance company audited me and then my college found out and went after me.”

In a later email to the Star, Blumfald stated: “All I can tell you is: I made a mistake. I paid for it. And I am very thankful to be continuing to provide my therapy services to individuals in need. As I’m a great therapist and love what I do.”