California Workers’ Comp Division Suspends 12 Medical Providers for Fraud

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation has suspended 12 more medical providers from participating in California’s workers’ comp system, bringing the total number of providers suspended this year to 85.

Nine providers were suspended for fraud or criminal actions and three for administrative reasons.

The suspensions were made possible by the passage last year of Assembly Bill 1244, which requires the DWC administrative director to suspend any medical provider convicted of a crime involving fraud or abuse of the Medi-Cal or Medicare programs or the workers’ comp system, a patient, or related types of misconduct.

DWC Administrative Director George Parisotto issued suspension orders against the following providers:

Paul Richard Randall of Orange, healthcare marketer and owner of Summit Medical Group, pled guilty in federal court on April 16, 2012 for his role in a spinal surgery kickback scheme. The scheme involved recruiting chiropractors and doctors to refer patients in exchange for illegal kickbacks involving nearly $600 million in fraudulent claims.
Harold Persaud, Westlake, Ohio physician, was found guilty on Oct. 2, 2015 in federal court for healthcare fraud and money laundering. The charges stem from Persaud’s practice of performing unnecessary catheterizations, tests, and stent insertions and causing unnecessary coronary artery bypass surgeries as part of a scheme to overbill Medicare and private insurers roughly $7.2 million.
Jeremy Goodwin, Mt. Shasta physician, had his license revoked on September 8 following violation of the terms of his 2014 probation from a prior disciplinary action by the Medical Board of California.
Christopher Dean Owens, San Francisco physician, had his license revoked on July 21 on findings that include self-administering illicit drugs.
Guven Uzun, Marina Del Rey physician, had his certificate revoked by the Medical Board of California on July 19 after violating the terms of his 2011 probation due to charges of negligence and falsifying medical records.
Farhad Hafezi, Covina physician, was found guilty of felony charges of sexual assault involving a minor. He is a registered sex offender. His medical license was revoked by the Medical Board of California in 2014.
Troy Ericsen Palmer, Chino physician, surrendered his license to the Osteopathic Medical Board of California on April 4 after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography.
Keith Robert Deorio, Santa Monica physician, had his license revoked by the Medical Board of California on July 21 after repeated violations of the Medical Practice Act.
Christopher Allen Scott, Palm Springs vocational nurse, had his license revoked by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians in January following findings that include the alleged use of controlled substances.
John Thomas Moranville, Lafayette physician, had his license revoked by the Medical Board of California on August 18 following an evaluation finding that he suffers from an illness that impairs his ability to practice medicine safely.
Joseph Struzzo, Cathedral City physician, had his certificate revoked by the Medical Board of California on August 4 following an evaluation finding that he suffers from an illness that impairs his ability to practice medicine safely.
Adly Ayad Azab, West Covina physician, had his license revoked by the Medical Board of California on August 23 following an evaluation finding that he suffers from an illness that impairs his ability to practice medicine safely.

AB 1244 requires the DWC administrative director to suspend any medical provider, physician, or practitioner from participating in the workers’ comp system in cases in which any of the following is true:

They were convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving fraud or abuse of the Medi-Cal or Medicare programs or the workers’ compensation system, fraud or abuse of a patient, or related misconduct; they were suspended due to fraud or abuse from the Medicare or Medicaid programs; or the provider’s license to provide health care has been surrendered or revoked.