An OB-GYN in Reno made his initial court appearance for allegedly defrauding healthcare benefit programs by submitting false claims for unnecessary gynecologic tests and surgical procedures, some resulting in serious medical complications. According to court documents, Dr. Samuel R. Chacon was the owner of Women’s Health Center of Reno and previously held surgical privileges at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. As alleged in the indictment, from January 1, 2017 to November 22, 2022, Dr. Chacon submitted false claims to Medicaid, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Healthcare Solutions, Health Plan of Nevada, Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Silversummit Healthplan, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nevada, Cigna Healthcare, and other healthcare benefit programs for procedures and tests that were not medically necessary, including hysterectomies, anterior and/or posterior repairs, enterocele repairs, vaginal vault suspensions, bladder sling procedures, urodynamic studies, physical therapy, and ultrasounds. In furtherance of the alleged scheme, Dr. Chacon routinely falsified patients’ medical records to include symptoms and complaints that patients did not report, and he made false representations to patients about their diagnoses and need for gynecologic procedures and tests. Some of the unnecessary procedures are alleged to have resulted in serious bodily injury to his patients.