Okla. Doctor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Medicare, Private Insurers

An Alva, Okla., doctor faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after pleading guilty to defrauding Medicare out of $1 million.

Gregory Glase Pinegar also will forfeit more than $400,000 as part of his plea agreement with federal prosecutors in Oklahoma City.

A federal grand jury indicted Pinegar, 42, in March on two counts of health care fraud for allegedly overbilling Medicare for prescription drugs used to treat anemia and arthritis.

Prosecutors also intended to present evidence of fraudulent billing by Pinegar to Medicaid and private insurance companies, according to court documents, but he pleaded guilty rather than take his case to trial.

Pinegar also faces a civil case initiated by a former employee who accused him of submitting false claims to Medicare. The government intervened, seeking triple damages under the False Claims Act.

The civil case was stayed last month until the criminal case against Pinegar was resolved.