Helen Boerman, a 48-year-old optometrist from Brentwood, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a $6.9 million healthcare fraud scheme by submitting false claims to Medicare, TennCare, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program from March 2020 to October 2024. She admitted to billing for wound care treatments that were never provided, including by splitting single-use medical products and fabricating patient records to justify charges.

According to court documents, Boerman submitted approximately $11 million in fraudulent claims through her practice, Brentwood Eye Care, and received $6.9 million in reimbursements. Prosecutors said she billed for multiple days of treatment for patients who had only visited on three occasions and directed staff to create falsified records to match the claims. The fraud spanned three-and-a-half years and involved systematic manipulation of billing and documentation practices.

United States Attorney Braden Boucek stated that prosecuting healthcare fraud is a top priority for the Department of Justice and emphasized the commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding federal programs. 'This case demonstrates our commitment to investigate fraud, find those responsible, and hold them accountable with jail sentences,' Boucek said.

Boerman faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison when she is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2026. Federal authorities continue to review the full scope of the fraudulent claims and their impact on government healthcare programs.