MCALLEN – A Rio Grande Valley area doctor was taken into custody for his scheme to solicit and obtain illegal kickbacks in exchange for Medicare patient referrals.

A grand jury in McAllen returned the sealed indictment Jan. 17 against the 51-year-old Palmhurst doctor.

He is scheduled to make his initial appearance before a judge Friday.

The indictment alleges the doctor solicited and obtained cash in exchange for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries to prospective home health agencies.

The agencies would then submit claims with Medicare based on the referrals furnished by the doctor for the illegal kickback payments, according to the charges.

He allegedly received cash payments as illegal kickbacks for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries. The indictment alleges the doctor instructed others to alter patient records in order to enable the home health agencies to submit claims for the home health services initiated through the illegal kickback payments.

The man is charged with one count of conspiracy to solicit or receive illegal remunerations, three counts of illegal remunerations and one count of obstruction of criminal investigations of health care offenses.

All offenses carry a maximum five years in federal prison.