Dentist, daughter arrested in $5 million billing scam

A Philadelphia dentist and his daughter have been arrested on charges of billing insurance companies for more than $5 million in fraudulent claims.

Dr. Owen Rogal ran a pain clinic and his daughter Kim Rogal handled billing.

Clinic doctors performed a procedure using needles and radio waves on muscle tissue. Prosecutors say the two repeatedly billed health insurance companies for brain surgery — specifically a rare procedure usually performed by surgeons in a hospital.

District Attorney Seth Williams says insurance companies paid out more than a million dollars over nine years.Assistant District Attorney Vicki Markovitz, who handled the case, condemned the deception.

“They were able to do this because they were able to exploit a health-care system that is set up to pay bills so people who need health care can receive health care,” she said.

Red flags eventually raised by insurance companies led to the 15-month grand jury investigation that concluded Wednesday with the Rogels turning themselves in.

Markovitz says the clinic also took more money from patients than it should have, but Williams’ office has not received complaints from any patients.

Both the father and daughter face up to 317 years in prison if convicted on all counts.