Ohio Authorities Make Contact with Optometrist

Frank Davis, a Dayton-area optometrist investigated by the Ohio Department of Insurance for insurance fraud, pled no contest to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of insurance fraud, a felony of the fifth degree thereby waiving his right to be indicted.

Davis was found guilty of illegally billing insurance entities Anthem, United Health Care and Tricare and fraudulently receiving nearly $11,500 for personal gain.

Department Fraud and Enforcement attorney Robert Smith served as special prosecutor in the case before the Greene County Court of Common Pleas. Davis’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 17 at 10 a.m. He faces a potential prison sentence from six to 12 months.

Davis reportedly used several fraudulent schemes, including charging patients $21 for a “visual fields test” procedure. He would reportedly advise the patients that their insurance would not cover this test but that it was important that they have it. The patients would pay him their co-payments as well as the $21. He would reportedly only show the co-payments on the insurance submissions then bill the insurers and pocket the money. Authorities said he would also bill for a bogus mucous membrane test that required a special allergen – which the office did not have – to be inserted into the eye membrane.