UNITED STATES ATTORNEY ALICE H. MARTIN NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			CONTACT: KAREN NARAMORE
	FEBRUARY 24, 2009			PHONE: (205) 244-2001
	www.usdoj.gov/usao/aln			FAX: (205) 244-2171

SLOAN SENTENCED FOR HEALTH CARE FRAUD

BIRMINGHAM, AL - JOEL ALLAN SLOAN, 44, from McCalla, Alabama,  was sentenced  in federal court today in Birmingham.  United States District Judge Inge Johnson sentenced SLOAN to serve 18 months in prison, and 3 years supervised release.  Additionally, the Judge ordered him to pay $71,988.55 in restitution to the Medicare Program. 

            SLOAN created documents which falsely indicated that physicians had approved power wheelchairs and accessories for certain Medicare beneficiaries. SLOAN performed this scheme in order to get Medicare to pay his employer for these items and for SLOAN to collect a sales commission from those payments.

            “Mr. Sloan caused his employer to believe that he had sold over $70,000 of necessary medical equipment when, in fact, no physician was involved in the process,” stated United States Attorney Alice H. Martin. “Taxpayers pay 80% of the costs of the legitimate services provided to Medicare beneficiaries.  Creating false documents to obtain payment for unnecessary items/services places additional burdens on the system and those persons who participate and profit in those schemes will be prosecuted.”

            “The Office of Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate those who defraud the Medicare system. Greed, at the expense of U.S. taxpayers and our most vulnerable citizens will not be tolerated," said Melody B. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

            This matter was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Lloyd C. Peeples prosecuted this case on behalf of the U.S. Government.