By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger
RUTLAND —A local doctor and medical practice owner had been engaged in criminal conduct for several years involving prescription and Medicaid fraud, Vermont State Police alleged Monday, July 3.
Dr. Mark Logan, owner of Green Mountain Family Medicine in Rutland, faces 35 counts of prescription fraud and six counts of Medicaid fraud. He was due in Rutland Superior Court for arraignment July 10.
“Investigators determined Logan was engaged in criminal fraud for several years dating back to 2010 or earlier,” according to a news release state police issued.
“Logan used employee medical records and patient profiles to order regulated and non-regulated drugs for his own use,” the statement added. “Employee medical records were altered on occasion to mask the fraudulent behavior.”
Attempts to reach Logan for comment were not immediately successful.
Logan, an addictions specialist, voluntarily relinquished his license to practice medicine in Vermont as well as his federal Drug Enforcement Agency license to prescribe regulated drugs in June 2016.
In January 2016 investigators with the Vermont State Police drug diversion division, DEA and the Vermont Board of Medical Practice launched a joint investigation into Logan.
“Information obtained,” police said in the statement, “alleged Logan was involved in prescription fraud, fraudulent billing and unethical activity associated with the practice and several employees who were being directed by him.”
Police said a parallel investigation was conducted by the Vermont attorney general’s office Medicaid fraud division concerning improper billing by Logan and his practice.
“It was determined Logan often requested employees to [call in] regulated drug prescriptions for other employees and those prescriptions were delivered to the office and then diverted for his or a family member’s use,” according to the police news release. “The investigation also revealed the office likely bypassed other prescribers in the office, so Logan or others could prescribe on his behalf‚ without other prescribers’ authorization.
Logan, 66, of Rutland Town, was one of the few Suboxone prescribers in Rutland County. Suboxone is a highly regulated prescription drug to treat opioid dependency.
On June 21, 2016, Logan signed a “cessation of practice agreement” with the Vermont Board of Medical Practice.
The seven-page document states that ‚“as a result of (Logan’s) personal health concerns, (Logan) has voluntarily determined that he shall temporarily and immediately cease and desist at this time from the practice of medicine.
The agreement also stated that Logan acknowledged he had been offered the opportunity to obtain legal advice in the matter. He also agreed to “cooperate fully” and in good faith with all further board investigations.
In December, Logan also surrendered his Arizona medical license, according to documents. That Arizona filing states Logan had previous issues with his license, including a letter of reprimand with probation in 1999, additional probation in 2000 and license suspension in 2003.
The reasons for the actions were not listed in the document and could not immediately be determined.
The filing in December states that Logan reported he suffered a “brief chemical dependency relapse” in February 2013 that contributed to the inappropriate prescribing forming the basis of his surrender of his Vermont license.
In an October 2014 interview with WCAX-TV, Logan talked about the scourge of the opiate problem in Vermont and the need to address prescription drug diversion. He also spoke of the need for law enforcement and the medical community to work together to address the problem.
“When you’re in a war, it’s a time when innovative and unusual or nontraditional collaborations should be considered,” Logan said.
