Providence Reporter

PROVIDENCE, RI – The co-owners of a Warwick-based holistic health care center have been charged in federal court with allegedly defrauding federal and private health care insurance providers out of nearly $1.9 million by submitting fraudulent claims for reimbursement for services that were not provided, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Brandon Nowak, 32, of Providence, and Jason Simmons, 32, of Foster, co-owners of Alternative Integrated Medicine, LLC (doing business as AIM Health), made initial appearances on Tuesday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on charges of health care fraud conspiracy, health care fraud, and filing false claims. The defendants were released on unsecured bond.

AIM Health is based in Warwick, with satellite offices located in Pawtucket, North Kingstown, and East Providence. Nowak serves as President and CEO, while Simmons acts as the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Compliance Officer of the company.

It is alleged in charging documents that at Nowak’s direction and with Simmons’ knowledge, AIM Health electronically submitted payment claims for services that did not occur or were not covered. These included treatments such as infrared therapy, hot and cold therapy, therapeutic activity, and self-care/home management training.

Additionally, it is alleged that AIM Health submitted reimbursement claims for acupuncture and evaluation and management office visits when the actual services provided were massages given by licensed massage therapists (a non-covered service). The company also billed for high complexity office visits without providing that level of service; modified codes on reimbursement forms to avoid triggering automatic denials for payment for services that were either not provided or medically necessary; and billed for covered and non-covered services rendered by uncredentialed providers under the provider numbers of credentialed providers.

As a result of this conduct, it is alleged that AIM Health fraudulently obtained $1,872,330 in payments from government and private insurers to which AIM was not entitled to receive.

A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John P. McAdams and Rachna Vyas. The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General and the FBI with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General.