Tullow doctor on trial for defrauding HSE through medical card system
Stock image of HSE medical card via iStock
MEDICAL card patients in Tullow have given evidence at Carlow Circuit Court that they did not receive treatments that their general practitioner had claimed for from the HSE.
Dr Muhammad Waqas Rabbani (45), of Tullow Family Medical Centre, The Square, Tullow, has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of fraud that related to offences allegedly committed on different days in September 2018.
It is the prosecution’s case that Dr Rabbani dishonestly induced the HSE, through its primary care reimbursement services, to make payments to him for services that he claimed he provided to members of the public, but did not actually do so.
Dr Rabbani was charged under section 6 of the that he made gain or caused loss by deception.
In his opening speech on Tuesday 30 June, senior counsel Mark Lynam for the prosecution explained to the jury that through the medical card scheme, doctors are paid out of the state’s pocket rather than the patient’s.
He said Dr Rabbani had a “busy practice” in Tullow and was the only doctor practicing in it, alongside several nurses. He would have had a lot of medical card patients and was submitting claims to the HSE in respect of these patients, said Mr Lynam.
In addition to general care, when Dr Rabbani performed out-of-the-ordinary procedures, for example, stitching a patient’s wound, seeing patients out of hours, or providing them with specific treatment such as a nebuliser, he would be paid extra by the HSE, the prosecuting barrister stated.
Mr Lynam said the prosecution would present evidence that Dr Rabbani had claimed extra payments for a large number of patients between Monday 3 September and Saturday 29 September 2018.
Dozens of witnesses are expected to take the stand, with several already giving evidence that they did not receive services such as nebuliser treatments, cryotherapy, ear syringing or sutures that Dr Rabbani claimed reimbursement for. Several witnesses have also stated that the signatures on the forms were not their own. They noted that it often took weeks to get an appointment with the doctor because the practice was so busy.
One witness was shown seven claim forms from appointments he allegedly attended in September 2018, which he could not remember attending. Four of the forms stated that he had received cryotherapy treatments, which he denied receiving. He firmly denied that several of the signatures on the forms were his own.
Dr Rabbani is being represented by barristers Lorcan Staines and Rebecca Smith and solicitors Michael J Staines & Co.
Gardaí began investigating the alleged offences after the HSE conducted a statistical analysis of the number of claims submitted by Dr Rabbani in 2018.
Judge Mary Morrissey told the jury that Dr Rabbani has no previous convictions and has never been investigated in any country for offences, prior to those before him now.
In her first address to the jury, she noted they mustn’t form any “firm views” until they have heard all the evidence and have been directed on the law.
The trial continues this week.
