Nathan Lucas – Memphis Flyer

Nathan Lucas, the Memphis podiatrist convicted of healthcare fraud involving foot baths, has been sentenced to four years in prison.

The 59-year-old owned a podiatry clinic, Advanced Foot & Ankle Care of Memphis, which had two in-house pharmacies. He was convicted of five counts of healthcare fraud in March, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. Officials said he had patients soak their feet in tubs of water that contained antibiotic and antifungal drugs that he prescribed.

“These drug cocktails included capsules, creams, and powders that were not indicated to be dissolved in water and some of which were not even water soluble,” officials said.

They added that Lucas did this for the “anticipated reimbursement amount,” as opposed to “medical necessity.” As a result, Lucas’ pharmacies submitted nearly $4 million in claims to Medicare and TennCare from October 2018 through September 2021, and they were reimbursed more than $3 million.

In March it was reported that Lucas faced a maximum penalty for 10 years in prison for each of the five counts he was convicted on.

A Memphis podiatrist faces 50 years in federal prison in a $4 million fraud case involving foot baths.

A jury recently convicted Nathan Lucas, 59, of Memphis on five counts of health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. Officials said Lucas had his pharmacies to submit nearly $4 million in fraudulent claims from October 2018 to September 2021.

Lucas owned and operated Advanced Foot & Ankle Care of Memphis, which had two in-house pharmacies. Officials said he regularly prescribed antibiotic and antifungal drugs to be mixed into a tub of water for patients to soak their feet.

These drug cocktails included capsules, creams, and powders that were not indicated to be dissolved in water and some of which were not even water soluble. He chose these medications to prescribe and dispense based on their anticipated reimbursement amount, rather than medical necessity, officials said.

The podiatrist caused his pharmacies to submit nearly $4 million in claims to Medicare and TennCare for dispensing expensive foot bath medications that were not medically necessary and not eligible for reimbursement. For this, Lucas’ pharmacies were reimbursed more than $3 million.

Lucas is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20th. He faces a maximum penalty for 10 years in prison for each of the five counts for which he was convicted.