Nurse Practitioner Dr. Scharmaine Baker Convicted in $12.1M Medicare Fraud Scheme

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Dr. Scharmaine Lawson Baker, a Louisiana nurse practitioner, author, and entrepreneur, was recently convicted by a federal jury for her role in a $12.1 million Medicare fraud scheme.

Details of the Medicare Fraud Conviction

Between 2018 and 2019, Dr. Baker worked as an independent contractor for a Utah telehealth company. During this period, the federal jury found that she ordered medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests for hundreds of patients she never met or physically examined. 

According to court evidence, these orders were signed after phone consultations typically lasting less than 60 seconds. Dr. Baker "falsely diagnosed patients to justify the unnecessary tests, such as diagnosing male patients with cervical cancer that they did not have. Lawson Baker never reviewed any of the test results, including when the results showed that patients actually had variants predisposing them to certain cancers. "

The fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare exceeded $12.1 million, with laboratories receiving over $1.5 million in reimbursements. According to the case, Dr. Baker also "accepted kickbacks and bribes from the telehealth company – payments she later failed to disclose in her bankruptcy petition." She was convicted on six counts of healthcare fraud and faces up to 60 years in prison.

The Department of Justice underscored the seriousness of Dr. Baker’s offenses. In the official press release, prosecutors stated: "Scharmaine Lawson Baker shamelessly exploited her medical license and the trust of vulnerable patients to enrich herself through a multimillion-dollar genetic testing fraud. The defendant peddled false promises of free cancer screenings while pocketing kickbacks for medically unnecessary tests. The Criminal Division remains relentless in uncovering and prosecuting fraud against government programs and those who prey on victims for personal gain.”

Background: A Respected Nurse Practitioner and Author

Before her conviction, Dr. Baker had an impressive and well-regarded career:

• She earned a BSN from Dillard University, an MSN-FNP from Tennessee State University, and a DNP from Chatham University.
• She founded Advanced Clinical Consultants, the first NP-led house call practice in Louisiana, and authored a popular book to train nurse practitioners, “Housecalls 101: The Only Book You Will Ever Need To Start Your Housecall Practice.”
• Dr. Baker also authored the popular children's book series, Nola The Nurse, inspiring young readers about the nursing profession.

Her contributions earned her fellowships in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP), and other honors including NP Entrepreneur of the Year.

Dr. Baker’s sentencing is scheduled for November 2025.

Nurse.org will continue to update this article as more information is known about the case.

 

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