Orthopedic Surgeon Wins Restitution Challenge in Medicare Case

A Florida orthopedic surgeon convicted of making a false statement on a Medicare enrollment application won Tuesday his bid to undo an order requiring him to pay almost $316,000 in restitution.

Lawrence Alexander doesn’t owe any restitution because the government failed to prove that Medicare processed or relied upon the allegedly false statement in paying claims, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit said, otherwise affirming Alexander’s conviction and sentence.

The government argued that Alexander’s false statement—listing his mother as the owner of his durable medical company despite her total lack of involvement—caused losses on all claims subsequently ...