Greenwich doctor pleads guilty in $2.7M insurance billing scam, feds say

GREENWICH -- A local psychologist pleaded guilty Monday to health care fraud, after he fraudulently billed insurers for nearly $2.7 million for services he never provided -- including for patients who were dead, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Michael Lonski, 71, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10 and faces up to 10 years in prison on the charge.

Lonski is a licensed psychologist who runs a practice out of a home office in Old Greenwich along with another psychologist, who the U.S. Attorney's Office did not identify.

Both were authorized to provide services through the state Medicaid program, which helps low income people pay for health care costs, and Medicare, the federal health care benefit for older adults.

"Lonski assumed responsibility for submitting claims for reimbursement for services allegedly provided by himself and by (the other psychologist), both at their home office and at various skilled nursing facilities within Connecticut," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

When reached on Tuesday, Lonski referred questions to his attorney, who did not return a message seeking comment.

By pleading guilty, Lonski admitted he billed insurance providers "for services that he knew were not rendered, including by billing for patients who were deceased, for dates of service when he was out of the country, for dates of service when (the other psychologist) was out of the country, and for dates of service when he was hospitalized."

The total cost of the fraud amounted to more than $2,651,296, including $1,157,292 through the state Medicaid program and $119,092 through Medicare.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Lonski has agreed to pay full restitution as part of his plea. He was released on bond until his sentencing.

In 2002, the U.S. Attorney's Office said, Lonski paid $4 million in restitution to settle a lawsuit brought by federal authorities in the Southern District of New York that alleged other health care fraud. He had been excluded from Medicare from 2003 to 2007, but was reinstated in the program in late 2008, the office said.