Central Kentucky pharmacist pleads guilty in case involving $100,000 in false invoices

A central Kentucky pharmacist admitted to making false claims for more than $100,000 in Medicaid payments.

Justin T. Bell pleaded guilty Oct. 10 in federal court to a charge of making a false statement in connection with a payment from a federally funded health program.

Bell, then owner of Georgetown Pharmacy, solicited “involuntary” Medicaid participants in March and April 2020 to receive an expensive product called Siltrex tampon, designed to control or prevent scarring caused by burns, surgery or injuries, according to his plea agreement.

The Kentucky Medicaid program paid pharmacies $14,827.66 for a box of 12 Siltrex tampons at the time, according to court records.

At Bell’s request, the pharmacy submitted claims for eight boxes of tampons, resulting in Medicaid payments totaling $118,621.

The claims were false and ineligible for reimbursement because they were not medically necessary, according to the plea agreement.

People who received the towels didn’t even use them in some cases, the document said.

U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove scheduled Bell’s sentencing for February.

The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but Bell’s sentence will likely be less under federal advisory guidelines.

Bell agreed to pay restitution of at least $118,621 to Medicaid.