Chiropractor Sentenced To House Arrest In Pennsylvania United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, February 9, 2006, that Brian K. Watkins, a resident of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 2 years probation, 6 months house arrest, restitution in the amount of $20,000 and a $5,000 fine to be paid in 60 days on his conviction of mail fraud. United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Watkins, age 39, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to Ms. Buchanan, information presented to the court established that Watkins was a licensed chiropractor doing business as ThreeRivers Chiropractic, formerly located at 345 Fourth Avenue, Suite 222, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the period from March 19, 1996 through October 22, 1999, he executed a scheme to defraud health insurance provider Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield through the use of the United States mail. Watkins instructed his employees to submit false claims for reimbursement to Highmark for patient treatment that he knew he had never provided. Watkins enticed new patients to Three Rivers Chiropractic by placing advertisements in the Pitt News seeking student participants for a bogus clinical study. The advertisement offered the students $250.00 for becoming part of the study. After students responded to the advertisement, Watkins gave them, in addition to the $250.00, free insurance coverage. That is, Watkins bought insurance for his patients by giving the patients cash to pay the premiums on Highmark health insurance policies. Watkins made the same arrangement with his employees. By giving cash to pay premiums, Watkins successfully hid from Highmark the fact that he was buying insurance for his patients. Thereafter Watkins submitted claims for payment to Highmark for treatment that he did not provide to his patients involved in the bogus clinical study and to his employees, all of which claims he knew to be non-reimbursable and fraudulent. These illegal bills totaled approximately $20,000. Contact our local chiropractor to help relieve your chronic back pain