Fraudulent Allergy Testing

Filed in archive Allergy: Diagnostics and Treatment , Living with Allergies on February 20, 2007

Everyone knows how important it is to have doctors you can trust. But in some exceptional cases, those exact same people in whose hands we put our faith and health on are involved in scams.

Doctors Oranu Ibekie of Merrillville and Hartley Thomas of Valparaiso face multiple counts of wire fraud for their alleged participation in the scam.
According to the indictment, Ibekie, Thomas and eight other defendants operated a scheme in which the American Institute of Allergy set up shop at festivals, health fairs and other events, giving people allergy tests and billing their insurance companies from 2000 to 2007.
According to the indictment, "these allergy shots were ordered without a doctor's evaluation ... were prepared by unqualified personnel in unsanitary conditions and were dispensed without the equipment and trained personnel necessary."

Yikes, I hope none of us get involved with such unscrupulous people. It may not personally cost us financially since the insurance companies are footing the bill, but the time, pain and anxiety of going through the allergy tests, plus the fact that they're generating erroneous results which may have a big impact in the way we lead our lives is just unforgiveable!