Two in Hawaii charged in nationwide health care fraud, opioid crackdown

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) — The U.S. Justice Department announced charges Tuesday against 455 health care professionals — including two in Hawaiʻi — as part of a nationwide crackdown on alleged health care fraud and opioid-related schemes.

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Officials said the defendants include 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals who were allegedly involved in over $6.5 billion in false claims and patient harm across multiple cases.

Henry Quan, 54, a registered pharmacist in Honolulu, was charged by criminal complaint with health care fraud in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for prescription drugs that were never dispensed, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Hawaii.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, Quan controlled Wellness Pharmacy, which billed for several high-cost drugs it did not have on hand, resulting in a loss of at least $1.5 million, the office said.

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Phyllis Rooney, 67, of Kapolei was charged in connection with a case in Nebraska. Officials said she was charged by information with false statements in connection with mental health counseling services that were billed but never performed. The Justice Department said this resulted in a loss to Nebraska Medicaid of $92,582.43.

“Health care fraud – driven by greed and a total disregard for the patients whom health care providers are meant to serve – is a blight on our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We will bring to justice those who seek to steal from our taxpayers, undermine our federal health care programs, and endanger the lives of patients in the process.”

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