Former Georgia insurance commissioner sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to health care fraud

A federal judge sentenced former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine to serve three-and-a-half years in prison after Oxendine pleaded guilty to health care fraud. A U.S. District judge also ordered Oxendine on Friday to pay a $25,000 fine and to share in $760,000 in restitution with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups. Oxendine admitted to collecting kickbacks for Gallups in a scheme in which the doctor pushed physicians who worked for him to order and bill insurers for unnecessary medical tests on patients. Lawyers say Oxendine collected 10 kickback payments through his insurance consulting firm and netted about $40,000.