Florida doctor gets prison for Medicare fraud

A Florida doctor was sent to federal prison for 12 years Friday for his role in a more than $50 million Medicare fraud scheme. Dr. Gary Kushner, 72, of Plantation also will serve three years of supervised release once he completes his incarceration, the U.S. Justice Department said in a release. The former medical director for Biscayne Milieu, a Miami mental-health clinic, was convicted at trial last August of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of substantive count of healthcare fraud. The Justice Department said various owners, doctors, managers, therapists, patient brokers and other employees of Biscayne Milieu were charged under indictments unsealed in September 2011 and May 2012. Biscayne Milieu, its owners and more than 25 other defendants have pleaded guilty or have been convicted at trial. Owners Antonio and Jorge Macli and Sandra Huarte are scheduled for sentencing next month.