Fraudulent Billing in Full “Bloom” with PA Chiropractor

One chiropractor and his business: check. Not treating the patients you said you treated: check. Over $100,000 in fraudulent claims: check. Insurance fraud: check.  At least that’s how it looks to the Pennsylvania A.G. who has brought fraud charges against a Bucks County chiropractor.

According to phillyBurbs.com, Dr. Howard Bloom, 55, is the owner of Weathervane Chiropractic, which operates at two different locations in Bucks County.

And according to the criminal complaint about him, Dr. Bloom apparently submitted over 2,000 bogus insurance claims under a billing code that he shouldn’t have been using. The code requires that a doctor must have direct one-on-one contact with a patient to use it, but that didn’t seem to stop Bloom. Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly noted that he didn’t treat the patients, massage therapists did.

Kelly said that Bloom submitted insurance claims for more than $116,000 in services, including numerous occasions where he claims to have provided between 30 and 47 hours of treatment in a single day.

That must have been very difficult, providing 30 or more hours of service with only 24 hours in a day.

Additionally, Bloom is accused of adding an individual to the Weathervane Chiropractic group insurance coverage plan, even though that person was not an actual employee of the practice. On behalf of this “employee,” the insurance company paid Bloom and Weathervane about $25,000 for treatments that were billed.

Bloom and Weathervane are each charged with 7 third degree felonies: four counts of insurance fraud, two counts of theft by deception, and one count of conspiracy. He could face up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Bloom was released on $20,000 unsecured bail after being arraigned by Richboro District Judge William Benz.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 3^rd.  Please note that these charges are merely accusations, and Dr. Bloom is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty according to law.