SCV doctor pleads guilty in fraud case

Suspect submitted $2.4 million in fake Medicare claims

A Valencia doctor accused of submitting more than $2.4 million in fake Medicare claims pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of federal health care fraud, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Gary J. Ordog, 61, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Fernando M. Olguin on Aug. 18. Ordog was indicted last year on nine counts of fraud.

As part of a plea agreement, Ordog, a physician specializing in toxicology, admitted to submitting false claims to Medicare for purported visits with Medicare beneficiaries, but those visits never occurred.

According to the indictment, Ordog would see a patient for evaluation and, years later, would submit false claims to Medicare for reimbursements. His patients reportedly suffered from illnesses associated with exposure to mold and other toxic substances.

Ordog admitted to submitting bills for services performed on patients who died after the claims were submitted. In some cases, the purported services totaled more than 24 hours for one day and occurred when he was out of the country.

Ordog fabricated patient records to support the claims.

Medicare paid approximately $1.3 million of the more than $2.4 million in false claims Ordog submitted between January 2009 and February 2015.

“Medical professionals who defraud Medicare drive up the costs associated with health care for everyone,” U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said in a statement. “This crime harms both taxpayers and patients.”