Local nurse practitioner indicted on health care fraud charges
JACKSON, Tenn. — A local nurse practitioner has been indicted on fraud charges related to health care benefit programs. John Michael Briley is accused of using identification belonging to a medical doctor to authorize Medicare and Medicaid/TennCare payments, according to court documents filed Monday. Briley was indicted Monday on counts including fraud with identification documents and providing false statements relating to health care matters. The indictment lists 145 counts of specific payments issued by Medicare or Medicaid/TennCare that were unlawfully authorized by Briley, according to the documents. Authorities say Briley’s unlawful use of identification dates back at least to April 23, 2010 and persisted until about June 17, 2014, the documents state. Payments for home health care services by Medicare and Medicaid/TennCare require the signature of a physician. Nurse practitioners are not physicians under federal regulations, according to the indictment.
