CA DWC Announces 29 Additional Provider Suspensions

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation announced the suspension of another 29 providers, bringing to 159 the number of people who have been prohibited from treating injured workers since the start of 2017.

The DWC suspended four providers who were convicted of defrauding Medicare, including:

• Mike Mikaelian and Anjelika Sanamian, Los Angeles operators of Lake Medical Group who were convicted in federal court in 2014 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Mikaelian and Sanamian generated OxyContin prescriptions that patients did not need, to bill Medicare and Medi-Cal more than $6 million. Mikaelian pleaded guilty in March 2014 and was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison in 2015. Sanamian pleaded guilty in May 2015 and was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, and ordered to pay nearly $2 million in restitution.
• Theanna Khou, Los Angeles co-owner of Huntington Pharmacy who was convicted in federal court in 2013 of structuring monetary transactions for her involvement in Mikaelian and Sanamian’s scheme to defraud Medicare and Medi-Cal. Khou received cash that had been used to pay for OxyContin from fraudulent prescriptions issued by Lake Medical Group. Khou was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison.
• Elizabeth Duc Tran, a Fountain Valley pharmacist and owner of Mission Pharmacy who was convicted in federal court in 2015 of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for her involvement in Mikaelian and Sanamian's scheme. Tran was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and she surrendered her pharmacist license in 2011. 

Another five providers were suspended for participating in a scheme the DWC said involved using unnecessary prescriptions for anti-psychotic medication to fraudulently bill Medicare and Medi-Cal approximately $18 million.

• Arman Grigoryan and Nurista Grigoryan, Glendale operators of Manor Medical Imaging Inc., were convicted in federal court in 2014 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to possess and use identification documents unlawfully for their participation in a scheme to produce prescriptions for expensive anti-psychotic medications that patients of their clinic did not need. Arman Grigoryan was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $6 million in restitution.
• Lianna Ovsepian and Artak Ovsepian, operators of Manor Medical Imaging Inc., were convicted in federal court in 2014 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to possess and use identification documents unlawfully, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to misbrand prescription drugs and making false statement to a government agency for their participation in the scheme. Lianna Ovsepian was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, and Artak Ovsepian was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison. Both were ordered to pay more than $9 million in restitution with their co-conspirators.
• The prescriptions were made to appear signed by Kenneth Wayne Johnson, a provider suspended in May 2017. Johnson did not examine Manor Medical Imaging patients or authorize the prescriptions, but he did allow Manor staff to pose as physicians and physician assistants to issue prescriptions in his name, the division said.

Other providers suspended following criminal convictions include:

• Gary Ordog, a Newhall physician and operator of a mobile medical clinic who was convicted in 2016 of health care fraud for submitting claims to Medicare totaling approximately $6.5 million. Ordog submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for office visits or other outpatient visits that never occurred.
• Owusu Ananeh Firempong, a Beverly Hills physician who was convicted in 2012 in federal court of health care fraud for submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Firempong was also convicted in 2011 in federal court of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to launder money. Firempong was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution. Firempong’s medical license was revoked in 2016.
• Khristine Eroshevich, a Beverly Hills physician who was convicted in federal court in 2010 of unlawfully prescribing controlled substances by fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact. Eroshevich wrote numerous unnecessary prescriptions for controlled substances using false names and information for individuals who were not her patients. Eroshevich was also suspended by the California Department of Health Care Services from participating in the Medi-Cal program for an indefinite period of time.

Seventeen providers were suspended because their licenses to practice were suspended, surrendered or revoked, including:

• Clyde Ikuta, an Anaheim physician who surrendered his medical license on Jan. 19, 2017, after committing gross negligence in his care and treatment of multiple patients by prescribing opioids without prior examinations.
• Jonathan Hechanova, a New Mexico physician who surrendered his medical license Jan. 13, 2017, after he entered into a disciplinary stipulation with the New Mexico Medical Board.
• Thanh Nguyen, a Washington physician who surrendered his medical license Jan. 11, 2017, after he stipulated with the State of Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission to informal disposition disciplining him for incompetence, negligence or malpractice.
• Adam Duer, a Sacramento physician who surrendered his medical license Jan. 1, 2017, after excessively prescribing narcotics to a patient with a narcotic addiction.
• Bryan Scott Williams, an Illinois physician who had his medical license revoked Aug. 18, 2017, due to his license being suspended by the Maryland State Board of Physicians for inappropriate touching of female patients during examinations.
• Renato Guzman, a Desert Hot Springs physician who surrendered his medical license in 2017 after acting with gross negligence and unprofessional conduct in the treatment of a patient.
• Robert Andrew Achtel, a Sacramento physician who surrendered his medical license in 2017 following an accusation of gross negligence in the care and treatment of patients.
• Mary Charlene Murphy, a San Diego physician whose medical license was revoked in 2017 while on disciplinary probation after she committed gross negligence and dishonest and corrupt acts relating to the care of patients.
• Vinay Rawlani, an Illinois physician who surrendered his medical license in 2017 after the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation suspended his medical license indefinitely last year.
• Allen Fujimoto, a San Lorenzo physician who surrendered his medical license Dec. 31, 2016, after he was negligent in the care and treatment of patients, and also aided and abetted the unlicensed practice of medicine.
• Michael Tralla, a Colorado physician who surrendered his medical license Dec. 30, 2016, after being suspended by the Colorado State Medical Board.
• William Schmalhorst, a Bakersfield physician who had his medical license revoked on Aug. 4, 2016, for negligent treatment of a patient.
• Lance Wyatt, a Los Angeles physician who had his medical license revoked on July 1, 2016, for gross negligence and sexual misconduct for secretly photographing and videotaping patients without their consent.
• James Michel, a physician in Carmel who had his medical license revoked on May 25, 2016, after failing to address deficiencies in critical elements that were identified during a facility review.
• Katherine Eunju Lee, a Sunland physician whose medical license was revoked in 2016 for gross negligence when she failed to provide her patients notice of her departure from practice.
• Patricia Ann Snyder, an Atascadero physician whose medical license was revoked in 2017 for failure to comply with the terms of probation imposed by the Medical Board of California following prior disciplinary proceedings.
• John Gillespie, a pharmacist in Upland who surrendered his pharmacist license Oct. 6, 2014, on grounds of unprofessional conduct for incorrectly filing an order that resulted in patient harm.

A list of provider suspensions, including links to suspension orders, is available on the DWC’s website, here.CA DIR Provider Suspensions