A Louisiana physician has been sentenced to 87 months (over 7 years) in federal prison for conspiring to illegally distribute large quantities of opioids and defrauding healthcare programs of millions of dollars.
Adrian Dexter Talbot, M.D., 59, of Slidell, was sentenced following his conviction in July 2024 on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, unlawful distribution of controlled substances, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.
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Talbot owned and operated Medex Clinical Consultants, a medical clinic in Slidell. Evidence presented at trial showed that Talbot routinely prescribed Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine, to individuals without proper examinations or medical necessity.
He even pre-signed prescriptions for patients he did not see, and hired another practitioner to do the same, in exchange for cash payments. Talbot also falsified patient records to conceal the scheme.
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These actions resulted in fraudulent billing to healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, totaling over $5.4 million.
The investigation and prosecution of this case involved multiple agencies, including the Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, FBI, and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
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