A Florida businessman who ran a telemedicine company was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on October 23, 2026, for a Medicare fraud scheme that began with phone calls to patients. Christopher Harwood, 44, of Fort Lauderdale, was sentenced for a conspiracy that billed Medicare $46.2 million. Medicare paid $17.9 million of it, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The calls pushed orthotic braces and genetic tests that patients did not need. Co-conspirators used aggressive telemarketing to reach Medicare patients, the Justice Department says, and the scheme ran for more than six years. Harwood pleaded guilty in March 2026 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
The case lands in the middle of Medicare’s Annual Enrollment window, when phones ring more than usual. Anyone on Medicare who gets a call offering a free brace, a free genetic test or a new plan now has a clear picture of where those offers can lead. Medicare says plainly that it will never call people to sell them anything or visit them at home.
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How the scheme worked
Prosecutors say Harwood owned TelevisitMD, a telemedicine company, along with several Florida durable medical equipment companies. Durable medical equipment, or DME, covers items such as braces, walkers and wheelchairs that Medicare helps pay for.
Telemarketers reached patients and persuaded them to accept orthotic braces and genetic tests, the Justice Department says. Harwood then paid doctors to approve the orders. Those doctors did not follow Medicare’s telemedicine rules, had no real medical relationship with the patients, and often signed with no meaningful patient contact.
Harwood sold the signed orders to DME companies, laboratories and marketers in the scheme. His own DME companies billed Medicare for millions of dollars in braces that patients did not want or need.
The money and the sentence
The claims totaled $46.2 million. Medicare paid $17.9 million. Harwood personally made more than $10.4 million, the Justice Department says.
Besides the 20-year term, the court ordered restitution to Medicare of $17,942,402 and forfeiture of $10,431,463. Restitution is money paid back to the victim. Forfeiture is money and property the government takes.
Colin M. McDonald, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, joined U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones of the Southern District of Florida in announcing the sentence. Brett Skiles, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami field office, and Miranda Bennett, acting deputy inspector general for investigations at the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General’s office (HHS-OIG), also took part. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated. Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted.
Why patients are the target
Schemes like this need a patient’s Medicare number and a doctor’s signature. The patient is often the easiest piece to get. A friendly caller, a promise of no cost, and a Medicare card number is enough to start billing.
The Justice Department’s Criminal Division runs a Health Care Fraud Unit with more than 75 prosecutors and nine Strike Forces across the country. HHS-OIG listed a 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown on June 23, 2026. Cases like Harwood’s are the kind that unit exists to bring.
Warning signs on the phone and in the mail
Medicare’s fraud page lists the signs. Offers of money or gifts for free medical care are one. Another is anyone asking for a Medicare or Social Security number who is not a doctor or someone who should have it, such as a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor. A third is being urged to join a Medicare health or drug plan over the phone when the person did not call first.
A brace or test that arrives in the mail without a request is a flag too. So is a statement that lists a service never received. Medicare advises comparing the dates and services on a personal calendar with Medicare statements, and checking provider receipts for mistakes. A free Medicare.gov account shows Original Medicare claims as soon as they are processed.
Where to report it
People can report suspected fraud to Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Those in a Medicare Advantage plan or a drug plan can call the I-MEDIC line at 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379). Complaints can also go online to the HHS-OIG tip line at tips.oig.hhs.gov, or by phone at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
HHS-OIG asks callers to gather the other party’s contact information, a short account of what happened, and any emails, billing records or photos before filing. The office says it rarely steps into personal disputes, such as getting a refund from a provider.
Enrollment season and the next call
Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7, and coverage generally starts January 1. Plans must receive a request by December 7. That fixed window gives scammers a reason to call, and a real reason for people to look at their coverage.
Harwood’s sentence shows prosecutors can reach the top of a billing scheme. It does not stop the next telemarketer. For people on Medicare, the first line of defense is still the phone: hang up on any caller selling a brace, a test or a plan nobody asked about, and check statements for charges that do not match real visits.
Got a call about a free brace or genetic test?
A Medicare number given to a caller can be used for years before a statement shows the damage, and the same details open doors at banks and credit bureaus. Harwood’s scheme ran more than six years on patients’ information.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
