Latest news with #GerardHayes
BreakingNews.ie
03-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Drug dealer (39) caught taking nearly €700k from safety deposit box jailed for 10 years
A 'serious drugs player' who was caught red-handed by gardaí removing close to €700,000 from his safety deposit box whilst on bail for firearms and money laundering offences has been jailed for 10 years. Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Gerard Hayes (39) was stopped by gardaí at Mespil Road in Dublin on February 20th, 2024, following a targeted operation by gardaí in Midleton and Cobh. Advertisement Mr Hayes of College Lawn, Cobh, Co Cork, told gardaí that the money in his boot was his 'life savings.' The father of three claimed that the cash originated from an inheritance and 'all cash jobs' he did on the side. Dt Sgt Eugene McCarthy said that the part time tree surgeon, who often did not work for months at a time, claimed that there was €620,000 in the boot of car. However, when the cash was counted it totalled €672,000. At the time of his arrest Mr Hayes was paying just €200.00 a month in rent for a council property. Det Sgt McCarthy said that the way the money was vacuum wrapped and marked bore 'all the hallmarks of drug dealing.' When gardaí subsequently carried out a search of the home of Mr Hayes in Cobh they found €10,050 in cash in the hot press. Advertisement Meanwhile, Garda James McCarthy gave evidence that Hayes had been previously arrested as part of a major operation on February 10th, 2024, at Ballydaniel in Ballymore, Cobh, Co Cork. On that occasion he was found to be in possession of €62,800 in cash. Gardaí approached Mr Hayes as he was leaving a shed he was renting in Cobh. Mr Hayes had installed a sophisticated state of the art alarm system at the shed which he was able to monitor remotely. During a search of the shed gardaí found monies concealed in timber blocks under tarpaulin in the shed. A search of his home in Cobh was carried out following this arrest. Gardaí discovered 234 rounds of ammunition, a rifle silencer, pepper spray, 1,376 rifle primers and eight containers of gunpowder. The majority of the items were found in the attic. A house boat worth €86,000, which was funded by criminality was subsequently discovered and seized at the the East Ferry in Cobh. Advertisement Det Garda McCarthy said that the accused had his firearms licence revoked in 2022. At the time of his arrest he was appealing this decision. Mr Hayes was arrested for a third time on May 5th, 2024, in Cobh when he was on High Court bail. Garda Dylan Murphy said that a modified deodorant canister was found in the car of the accused. The canister contained a small amount of cash and cocaine worth €1,407 Meanwhile, garda enquiries via Revenue revealed that Mr Hayes earned €245,892 over a 20 year period from 2002 to 2024 for his legitimate work in various trades. Advertisement Defence counsel Jane Hyland, SC, said that her client was remorseful for his behaviour. 'He is very stressed and upset at the position he has put his family in. He is resolved to not ever again engage in criminality.' Ms Hyland said that Mr Hayes was taken in to care at a young age. She stated that he had a good job history which included work as a diving instructor and a period in the Royal Marines. Ireland Girl left with 'profound cosmetic issue' after six... Read More The value of cash, cars, a boat and other property which was deemed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct reached a total of €745,000. Judge Helen Boyle made a forfeiture order to the state in relation to these items. Advertisement Judge Boyle commended gardai in Cobh and Midleton 'on a very successful garda operation' which led to the jailing of jailing of a 'serious player in the sale, supply and distribution of drugs in east Cork.' She noted the serious impact incarceration would have on the Hayes family before jailing him for 12 years suspending the last two years of the sentence. Mr Hayes pleaded guilty to over twenty charges including the possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of large quantities of ammunition and silencers for firearms. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to drug dealing and money-laundering.
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
'Serious player' in East Cork drugs trade jailed for 10 years
A ten-year jail term was imposed today on a 39-year-old Cobh man who was described by the judge as 'a serious player in the sale, supply and distributions of drugs in East Cork.' Judge Helen Boyle imposed a total sentence of 12 years with the last two years suspended in the case against Gerard Hayes of College Lawn, College Manor, Cobh, Co Cork. Judge Boyle said this was a very successful garda operation and she commended in particular the work of gardaí from Cobh and Midleton in the investigation of a man who was part of a criminal organisation and that the large amount of cash and property seized both in East Cork and in Dublin represented the proceeds of crime. Addressing the accused man directly, Judge Boyle said: 'You were not simply moving that money around for somebody else, you were the person who had gathered that money through drug-dealing.' A total of €672,000 in cash wrapped in vacuum packs and duct-tape was found in the boot of his car when he was stopped on Mespil Road in Dublin — money he initially described as being his life savings before pleading guilty to money-laundering in respect of it. Detective Sergeant Eugene McCarthy said: 'He insisted it was all from cash jobs and 'foxers' he had done over the years and denied any involvement in drugs … The way the money was wrapped and marked bears all the hallmarks of drug-dealing,' That was on February 20, 2024, within days of being released on bail following his arrest for drug-dealing and money-laundering offences in East Cork. And he was arrested for a third time — having secured High Court bail in relation to the Dublin charges — soon afterwards on March 20, 2024. Detective Garda Dylan Murphy said that on this date he was seen driving a Toyota Avensis near Cobh rugby club and on being searched he had €1,400 worth of cocaine in deals concealed in a repurposed spray cannister. On the first of the three incidents before the court today, two hair-brushes were found in his possession. While there was a lot of hair tangled in the brushes it was discovered on closer inspection that the brushes had been modified to conceal close to €3,000 worth of cocaine in deals. This first incident on February 2, 2024, was described by Detective Garda James McCarthy. Gerard Hayes had just driven his Audi A4 from a storage shed he was renting for €5,000 per year at Ballydaniel Ballymore in Cobh. A total of €62,800 in cash was found at that premise in Ballymore. All of the cash was in €50 notes. It was found in an office under timber which was under tarpaulin. An assortment of ammunition — for which he once had a licence, but did not have at the time — was found on that occasion. Some of the ammunition and related materials were found in the attic of the storage premises. Also following searches carried out at that time at Ballynacorra River, East Ferry, Midleton, he admitted possession of proceeds of criminal conduct in the form of a boat, including contents and engine, with a value of €86,000. Between the three incidents he was interviewed on 17 separate occasions and disclosed nothing of material assistance to the investigations during any of them. Ultimately, he made admissions to charges including the possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of large quantities of ammunition and silencers for firearms and the very large amount of cash and property — the proceeds of criminal conduct, which are money-laundering charges. The most serious charge states that on February 20, 2024, at Mespil Road, Dublin 4 he had the proceeds of criminal conduct, namely cash to the value of €672,000. As well as the Mespil Road money-laundering charge there was a charge on the same date related to his home in Cobh involving €10,050. The total value of cash, vehicles, boat and other property that were deemed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct, totalled over €745,000. Judge Helen Boyle made a forfeiture order to the State of all of this. The Audi A6 being paid for in instalments by the accused was not forfeited to the State. Jane Hyland senior counsel emphasised the value of the pleas of guilty made by the accused in these cases. She said the accused felt shame, not least for the impact that his incarceration would have on his family.
The Advertiser
02-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Doctors dispute billions being lost in Medicare fraud
Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, a health union says. But the peak professional body representing doctors says the numbers don't add up in a Health Services Union (HSU) report that paints a picture of fraud in the $30 billion Medicare Benefits Schedule scheme. Leaning on previous analyses, the report estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent. It described one estimate of $10 billion in bogus claims as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven" due to no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place. The report published on Wednesday found about three-in-five medical professionals referred to the Medicare-related watchdog in 2024 were GPs. But the union said it suspects the watchdog was not adequately investigating specialists and other non-GP billers, representing nearly 70 per cent of all Medicare claims. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two-thirds of Professional Services Review case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The union, which represents more than 50,000 health workers including in hospitals and pathologies, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published on Wednesday said. But the association lambasted the union's claims as "baseless" insisting that it was getting on "with the job of pursuing meaningful reforms". The government-commissioned Philip review in 2023 found Medicare compliance issues were overwhelmingly caused by the complexity of the system, it said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment. Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, a health union says. But the peak professional body representing doctors says the numbers don't add up in a Health Services Union (HSU) report that paints a picture of fraud in the $30 billion Medicare Benefits Schedule scheme. Leaning on previous analyses, the report estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent. It described one estimate of $10 billion in bogus claims as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven" due to no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place. The report published on Wednesday found about three-in-five medical professionals referred to the Medicare-related watchdog in 2024 were GPs. But the union said it suspects the watchdog was not adequately investigating specialists and other non-GP billers, representing nearly 70 per cent of all Medicare claims. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two-thirds of Professional Services Review case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The union, which represents more than 50,000 health workers including in hospitals and pathologies, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published on Wednesday said. But the association lambasted the union's claims as "baseless" insisting that it was getting on "with the job of pursuing meaningful reforms". The government-commissioned Philip review in 2023 found Medicare compliance issues were overwhelmingly caused by the complexity of the system, it said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment. Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, a health union says. But the peak professional body representing doctors says the numbers don't add up in a Health Services Union (HSU) report that paints a picture of fraud in the $30 billion Medicare Benefits Schedule scheme. Leaning on previous analyses, the report estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent. It described one estimate of $10 billion in bogus claims as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven" due to no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place. The report published on Wednesday found about three-in-five medical professionals referred to the Medicare-related watchdog in 2024 were GPs. But the union said it suspects the watchdog was not adequately investigating specialists and other non-GP billers, representing nearly 70 per cent of all Medicare claims. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two-thirds of Professional Services Review case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The union, which represents more than 50,000 health workers including in hospitals and pathologies, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published on Wednesday said. But the association lambasted the union's claims as "baseless" insisting that it was getting on "with the job of pursuing meaningful reforms". The government-commissioned Philip review in 2023 found Medicare compliance issues were overwhelmingly caused by the complexity of the system, it said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment. Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, a health union says. But the peak professional body representing doctors says the numbers don't add up in a Health Services Union (HSU) report that paints a picture of fraud in the $30 billion Medicare Benefits Schedule scheme. Leaning on previous analyses, the report estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent. It described one estimate of $10 billion in bogus claims as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven" due to no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place. The report published on Wednesday found about three-in-five medical professionals referred to the Medicare-related watchdog in 2024 were GPs. But the union said it suspects the watchdog was not adequately investigating specialists and other non-GP billers, representing nearly 70 per cent of all Medicare claims. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two-thirds of Professional Services Review case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The union, which represents more than 50,000 health workers including in hospitals and pathologies, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published on Wednesday said. But the association lambasted the union's claims as "baseless" insisting that it was getting on "with the job of pursuing meaningful reforms". The government-commissioned Philip review in 2023 found Medicare compliance issues were overwhelmingly caused by the complexity of the system, it said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment.
The Advertiser
02-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Union says 'billions down the drain' in Medicare fraud
Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, adding up to billions being wasted yearly, the Health Service Union says. The union's calculations are based on previous analyses, such as the government-commissioned Independent Review of Medicare Integrity and Compliance in 2023. They estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent with a maximum $10 billion cited as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven, because there is no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place". In a report published on Wednesday, the union found about 60 per cent of medical professionals referred to Professional Services Review (PSR), which investigates cases of Medicare-related "inappropriate practices", in 2024 were GPs. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two thirds of PSR case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners about the union's findings. The union, which represents more than 50,000 members across public and private hospitals as well as in other sectors such aged care and pathology, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published Wednesday said. The AMA has been contacted for comment."Every dollar lost to Medicare fraud is a dollar taken from hospitals and the most vulnerable Australians who rely on our public health system," Mr Hayes said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment. Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, adding up to billions being wasted yearly, the Health Service Union says. The union's calculations are based on previous analyses, such as the government-commissioned Independent Review of Medicare Integrity and Compliance in 2023. They estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent with a maximum $10 billion cited as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven, because there is no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place". In a report published on Wednesday, the union found about 60 per cent of medical professionals referred to Professional Services Review (PSR), which investigates cases of Medicare-related "inappropriate practices", in 2024 were GPs. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two thirds of PSR case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners about the union's findings. The union, which represents more than 50,000 members across public and private hospitals as well as in other sectors such aged care and pathology, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published Wednesday said. The AMA has been contacted for comment."Every dollar lost to Medicare fraud is a dollar taken from hospitals and the most vulnerable Australians who rely on our public health system," Mr Hayes said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment. Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, adding up to billions being wasted yearly, the Health Service Union says. The union's calculations are based on previous analyses, such as the government-commissioned Independent Review of Medicare Integrity and Compliance in 2023. They estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent with a maximum $10 billion cited as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven, because there is no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place". In a report published on Wednesday, the union found about 60 per cent of medical professionals referred to Professional Services Review (PSR), which investigates cases of Medicare-related "inappropriate practices", in 2024 were GPs. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two thirds of PSR case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners about the union's findings. The union, which represents more than 50,000 members across public and private hospitals as well as in other sectors such aged care and pathology, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published Wednesday said. The AMA has been contacted for comment."Every dollar lost to Medicare fraud is a dollar taken from hospitals and the most vulnerable Australians who rely on our public health system," Mr Hayes said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment. Overcharging on medical bills and rorting the public health system is costing taxpayers up to $5000 a minute, adding up to billions being wasted yearly, the Health Service Union says. The union's calculations are based on previous analyses, such as the government-commissioned Independent Review of Medicare Integrity and Compliance in 2023. They estimated fraud and non-compliance rates to range from five-to-30 per cent with a maximum $10 billion cited as a figure that "cannot be definitively disproven, because there is no effective system to measure fraud and non-compliant billing in the first place". In a report published on Wednesday, the union found about 60 per cent of medical professionals referred to Professional Services Review (PSR), which investigates cases of Medicare-related "inappropriate practices", in 2024 were GPs. "Billions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned away from healthcare through fraudulent Medicare billing," HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said. "It's got to stop. Government and regulators have to hold people to account." "This is public money. Medicare has to be delivering for all of the community not just a certain few." The union said upcoding was a common fraud tactic, with medical practitioners inflating consultation times to increase reimbursements. Nearly two thirds of PSR case outcomes in 2024 involved upcoding, while 38 per cent involved incorrect use of GP management plan and/or team care arrangement item numbers. AAP has sought comment from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners about the union's findings. The union, which represents more than 50,000 members across public and private hospitals as well as in other sectors such aged care and pathology, also surveyed 110 healthcare workers in billing, finance, and compliance. Survey respondents reported witnessing doctors billing for services they did not provide, unnecessary procedures performed purely for billing purposes and systematic manipulation of billing codes to inflate Medicare claims. One-in-three healthcare workers said they had witnessed or suspected improper billing practices but only 17 per cent understood how to report Medicare fraud. Half of those surveyed said they faced pressure to maximise profit from Medicare billing and more than 93 per cent of healthcare workers said they were too afraid to report fraud because of fears of retaliation. The union also pointed the finger at the medical doctors' group, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for deflecting and resisting meaningful oversight. "Too many practitioners treat Medicare as an unlimited funding source, structuring their operations around maximising claims rather than responsible spending of public funds or optimising patient care," the 28-page-report published Wednesday said. The AMA has been contacted for comment."Every dollar lost to Medicare fraud is a dollar taken from hospitals and the most vulnerable Australians who rely on our public health system," Mr Hayes said. AAP has approached federal Health Minister Mark Butler for comment.
Sunday World
25-06-2025
- Sunday World
Man had close to €700k cash in boot of car when stopped by Dublin gardaí
laundering charge | Gerard Hayes of College Lawn, Cobh, Co Cork was on bail when he was stopped by gardai at Mespil Road in Dublin Stock image Gerard Hayes of College Lawn, Cobh, Co Cork was on bail when he was stopped by gardai at Mespil Road in Dublin on February 20th, 2024. At that time Mr Hayes (39) was being investigated by gardai in relation to money laundering, drug dealing and possession of ammunition. The evidence given by gardai at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday was that Me Hayes claimed that the money, which was wrapped in vacuum packs and duct tape, came from an inheritance. He also said that some of the money originated from 'foxers' or 'all cash jobs|' he did on the side. Dt Sgt Eugene McCarthy said that the tree surgeon, who worked three to four days a week and often did not carry out his job for months at a time, claimed that there was €620,000 in the car. However, in fact Hayes, who was paying just €200.00 a month in rent for his council property, had €50,000 more than he realised. Det Sgt McCarthy said that the way the money was wrapped and marked bore 'all the hallmarks of drug dealing.' When Gardai subsequently carried out a search of the home of Mr Hayes in Cobh they found €10,050 in cash in the hot press. Meanwhile, Garda James McCarthy gave evidence that Hayes had been previously arrested as part of a targeted operation on February 10th, 2024 at Ballydaniel in Ballymore, Cobh, Co Cork. On that occasion he was found to be in possession of €62,800 in cash. Gardai stopped Mr Hayes as he left a shed he was renting in Cobh. Mr Hayes had installed a sophisticated state of the art alarm system at the shed which he was able to monitor remotely. During a search of the shed gardai found the monies concealed in timber blocks under tarpaulin in the shed. CCTV was seized from the scene. Mr Hayes was captured on the footage counting the money and placing it in the blocks. A search of his home in Cobh was carried out following this arrest. Gardai discovered 234 rounds of ammunition, a silencer rifle, pepper spray, 1,376 rifle primers and eight containers of gunpowder. The majority of the items were found in the attic. A valuation for a boat was also located at the property. A house boat worth €86,000, which was funded by criminality was subsequently found and seized at the the East Ferry in Cobh. During his garda interview Hayes said that the €62,800 in cash seized was earned via 'foxers.' He denied any involvement in the sale and supply of cocaine. Det Garda McCarthy said that the accused had had his firearms licence revoked in 2022. At the time of his arrest he was appealing this decision. Two hair brushes were also found in his possession on this occasion. The brushes had been modified to hide close to €3,000 worth of cocaine. Mr Hayes was arrested for a third time on May 5th, 2024 after he had secured High Court bail. Stock image News in 90 Seconds - June 25th Garda Dylan Murphy said in evidence that gardai intercepted a car driven by Mr Hayes in Cobh, Co Cork. A deodorant canister was found in the glove box of the car. It had been modified and contained 27 bags of cocaine worth €1,407 as well as €450.000 in cash. The vehicle he was driving was seized as the proceeds of crime. Judge Helen Boyle was informed that the Revenue Service had indicated that Hayes made a total income of €245,892 over a twenty year period from 2002 to 2024 for his legal work. Mr Hayes offered no material assistance to gardai during the course of all of his garda interviews. Defence counsel Jane Hyland, SC, said that her client was remorseful for his behaviour and had entered signed pleas of guilty. She stated that he felt guilty that his wife was now relying on social welfare payments. 'He is very stressed and upset at the position he has put his family in. He is resolved to not ever again engage in criminality.' Ms Hyland said that Mr Hayes was taken in to care at a young age and left school when he was just 12 years old. She stated that he had a good job history which included work abroad as a diving instructor and a period in the Royal Marines. She said that her client had suffered from drug addiction and was doing well in custody. The value of cash, cars, a boat and other property that was deemed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct reached a total of €745,000. Judge Boyle made a forfeiture order to the state in relation to these items. Mr Hayes was remanded in custody for the finalisation of sentencing on July 2nd next. The defendant pleaded guilty to charges including the possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of large quantities of ammunition and silencers for firearms. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to drugs and money-laundering. In total he pleaded guilty to over twenty charges.
