Abuses involving durable medical equipment (DME) have been among the most pervasive types of health care fraud prosecuted by the federal government.  A grand jury in Philadelphia indicted David Mazer, who operated the Women’s Medical Group, on 12 counts of health care fraud and 18 counts of wire fraud for providing cheaper or less complex DME and then billed Medicare for more expensive or complex items (indictment here).  Mazer’s company is alleged to have contacted potential recipients by purchasing telephone lists and then conducting cold-calling to entice elderly Medicare Plan B participants to request the DME through their doctors.  (ph)