Doctor's sentencing postponed

Published: 2009-03-26 10:46:02
Author: Erin L. Nissley, Scranton Times, November 11, 2008

Lingering questions about how much money a local chiropractor owes to insurance carriers he overbilled pushed back the doctor’s sentencing again Monday.

Stephen Straka, 36, 302 George Ave., Archbald, was charged in December after an investigation by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Task Force. Dr. Straka, who operates Chiropractic Associates of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 1789 N. Keyser Ave., was in Judge Michael Barrasse’s court Monday for sentencing after pleading guilty in March to insurance fraud.

The investigation began after an employee at Dr. Straka’s practice noticed discrepancies in patients’ charts. After reviewing several boxes of paperwork seized from the doctor’s offices, police say the doctor was noting services in the patients’ charts that were never actually provided. The fraudulent billing went back to 2003, according to court records, and included more than 70 patients.

On Monday, Assistant District Attorney Paul Ware told Judge Barrasse that Dr. Straka owed more than $493,000 to insurance companies. But Dr. Straka’s attorney, Michael McCarrie, believed the amount was much lower.

“I can’t continue with the sentencing without an amount of restitution,” Judge Barrasse told the attorneys. “The defendant is not even in the same ballpark as prosecutors.”

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