N.Y. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced his Administrationhas banned a first round of 18 doctors and other health serviceproviders from billing New York's no-fault auto insurance system aspart of an extensive and ongoing Department of Financial Services(DFS) investigation.

This action is part of the Cuomo Administration's statewideinitiative to stop fraudulent health service providers and medicalmills that abuse the no-fault insurance system, and cost NewYorkers hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary insurancecosts.

“Defrauding the State's no-fault auto insurance system isillegal and drives up costs for honest drivers across the state,and my administration simply will not allow such actions to gounpunished,” Governor Cuomo said. “Doctors and medical serviceproviders who conspire to abuse the system should know that NewYork State is watching and will not hesitate to take appropriateactions to shutdown fraud when it occurs.”

Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of Financial Services, said,“No-fault auto insurance fraud drives up costs for every single NewYorker on the road. A dirty doctor is typically the key ingredientin these schemes and cutting them out can have a major impact. Ourinvestigation is continuing and other doctors should think twiceabout the consequences before trying to rip off the no-faultinsurance system.”

An ongoing DFS investigation has uncovered evidence of doctorsand other health service providers giving unnecessary treatment tocar accident victims, billing insurers for unnecessary treatment ortreatment that was never provided, and “renting” their taxpayer IDnumber to fraudulent medical practices run illegally by laypersonswho submit fake bills to insurance companies. Without the doctorsand other providers, these schemes cannot work.

Last year, Governor Cuomo announced a statewide initiative tocombat no-fault insurance fraud. As part of that initiative, DFSissued regulations enabling it to ban health service providers whoengage in illegal or dishonest practices or fail to respond to theDepartment's inquiries from billing the no-fault system. Today'saction is the first ban under that regulation. DFS is collaboratingwith law enforcement officials on these and other cases.

The no-fault insurance law was designed to lower insurancepremiums and make it easier for accident victims to receive medicaltreatment, regardless of who is at fault. Usually, no-faultinsurers pay health service providers directly, assuming that alicensed health service provider administered the treatment and thetreatment was necessary. However, abuse of New York's no-fault autoinsurance system has helped drive up auto insurance premiums forconsumers.

A list of the doctors and health service providers banned frombilling under the no-fault insurance system as part of today'sannouncement include:

· Ashraf Ashour, P.T. (Brooklyn, NY) · VictorBasbus, M.D. (New York, NY)

· Michael Conrad, M.D. (Staten Island, NY) · Anthony D. Cox, Massage Therapist(Rochester, NY)

· Bella Dorman, Psychologist (Brooklyn,NY) · Ricardo Galdamez, M.D.(Flushing, NY)

· Aron Goldman, M.D. (New York,NY) · Chantal Hilaire, M.D. (RockvilleCentre, NY)

· Matthew G. Keschner, D.C. (New York,NY) · Gary Leviton, Massage Therapist(Valhalla, NY)

· German Laufer, M.D. (Brooklyn, NY) · Dan Steven Lewis, M.D (Mamaroneck,NY)

· Stuart Press, M.D. (Mamaroneck, NY) ·John Prue, M.D. (Staten Island, NY)

· Alexander Rozenberg, M.D. (Brooklyn, NY) · RomanTabakman, M.D (New York, NY)

· Gang Wang, Acupucturist (Bronx, NY) · Pavel IsaakovichYutsis, M.D. (Brooklyn, NY)

Kristina Baldwin, Vice President of the Property CasualtyInsurers Association of America, said, “This initiative not onlyhelps get fraudulent doctors out of the no-fault system, whichdirectly benefits consumers, but can also provide a real deterrenteffect against future misconduct. PCI would like to thank GovernorCuomo and Superintendent Lawsky for all of their work on thisissue.”