He held franchise agreements with 11 Pearle Vision centers.
A New Jersey optometrist has been sentenced to 33 months in prison on a charge of health care fraud.
Dr. Vincent J. Gamuzza operated multiple vision centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
He pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on Sept. 18. He admitted to submitting fraudulent claims to health insurer Highmark Inc. for medical services that were not rendered, according to a press release.
“He also admitted that he impermissibly submitted claims for the same services to both Highmark, Inc. and Davis Vision,” the release stated.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported that Gamuzza, 31, held franchise agreements with 11 Pearle Vision centers in the region through Gamuzza Inc. He also ran a New Jersey eyecare clinic.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon also ordered Gamuzza to pay a $25,000 fine. And he’s required to make restitution of $95,667 to Highmark and $3,333 to Davis Vision.
Gamuzza admitted this his crime involved losses of between $250,000 and $550,000 to insurance providers.
At his sentencing hearing, he “further acknowledged that he attempted to obstruct justice when he submitted fabricated treatment records to the government in an effort to justify his continued fraudulent billing,” according to the release.
Read more at the Department of Justice