Union leader indicted on health care fraud charges

Carmine A. Mattia, Jr., a union leader and former Belleville council candidate, was indicted on Friday for his role in a scheme to defraud a telecommunications company by billing them for expensive compounded prescriptions that were medically unnecessary.

Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig said Mattia is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health fraud and three counts of health care fraud.

He is the business agent for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 827 and also worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for an unnamed company that worked with the health plan of the telecommunications company Mattia worked for.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, pharmacists mix specialty medications when a physician determines that medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration won’t meet the specific health needs of a patient.

Read more: https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/union-leader-indicted-on-health-care-fraud-charges/