Arizona eye doctor indicted on conspiracy, falsifying surgery records

Indicted on 150 counts

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. (KYMA, KSWT, KECY) - An Arizona eye surgeon has been arrested on suspicion of a billing scheme spanning ten years.

The indictment claims Dr. Michael lee Ham fraudulently billed several institutions for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Those Dr. Ham is alleged to have defrauded included Medicare, and the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Attorney General Mark Bnovich announced today that Dr. Ham was indicted on 150 counts.

Charges include Conspiracy, Fraudulent Schemes, Theft, and Money Laundering, among others.

Dr. Ham reportedly ordered employees to complete false eye exams and deliver false information to insurance agencies and the government.

This was allegedly done in order to meet insurance standards for covering cataract and laser surgeries.

A multi-agency investigation found some patients may even have underwent cataract surgery that was not medically necessary.

This indictment was conducted by the Special Investigations Section of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and AHCCCS.

This case is ongoing.