Darrell Clem

Hometown Life

A Canton-based doctor has been charged in a 22-count medical fraud case involving allegations he billed Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield for services he didn’t provide.

Charges against Dr. Bassel Altantawi, 45, of Farmington Hills were announced Tuesday by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office was notified of the accusations after Canton police received a complaint.

“We were alerted to the (alleged) fraudulent activity that was going on and we contacted the attorney general’s office and turned it over to them,” Canton Special Services Lt. Craig Wilsher said Tuesday.

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Wilsher said he couldn’t elaborate on the details brought to Canton police about Altantawi, described as the only doctor at Canton Urgent Care, on Ford Road between Morton Taylor and Lilley.

A phone call to Canton Urgent Care went to voicemail Tuesday afternoon and had not been returned. Megan Hawthorne, Schuette’s deputy press secretary, said the charges don’t automatically mean the clinic is forced to close.

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“We do not know if Altantawi plans to continue to have the business function or not,” she said by email.

Schuette issued a statement saying Altantawi has been charged with nine counts of Medicaid fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud and one count of having a continuing criminal enterprise. The charges came from the Health Care Fraud Division of Schuette’s office.

“We will continue to identify and prosecute unscrupulous health care providers who waste limited health care dollars by fraudulently seeking payment for services they never provided,” Schuette said in a press release. “Michigan residents should feel confident that when they see a physician, they receive honest, quality care and accurate billing based on the services provided to them by a physician.”

Schuette filed the following charges against Altantawi on Tuesday in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court:

• One count of having a continuing criminal enterprise, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines totaling $100,000.

• Nine counts of Medicaid fraud, punishable by up to 4 years in prison and fines of $50,000.

• 12 counts of health care fraud, also punishable by up to 4 years in prison and fines of $50,000.

Altantawi was arraigned before Judge Richard Ball and released on a $25,000 personal bond. He is expected back in court May 9 for a preliminary hearing.

Schuette said Blue Cross Blue Shield fraud investigators assisted in the investigation.

Any patients seen by Altantawi who believe they may have been billed for services not provided are urged to call the Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division hotline at 1-800-24-ABUSE.

Contact Hometown Life Darrell Clem: dclem@hometownlife.com; Twitter: @CantonObserver; 734-972-0919