The husband of "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin, Dr. Emmanuel "Manny" Hostin, an orthopedic surgeon, has been accused of insurance fraud in a federal lawsuit filed last month. Hostin and his practice, Hostin Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, were among over 180 defendants named in a major RICO case filed in New York on Dec. 17.
Allegations of Fraud
According to The Daily Mail, Hostin and the other defendants were allegedly involved in a scheme where they received kickbacks for performing surgeries and fraudulently billing the insurance company that provides for Uber, Lyft, and other taxi companies. The lawsuit claims that Hostin knowingly provided fraudulent medical services, including arthroscopic surgeries, in exchange for kickbacks disguised as dividends or cash distributions.
Lawsuit Details
The American Transit Insurance Company, which filed the $450 million lawsuit, alleges that the defendants took advantage of New York's no-fault auto insurance laws to over-diagnose, over-treat, and over-bill for medical care. Hostin was also accused of receiving investment interest in a surgery center in exchange for patient referrals.
Denial of Allegations
Hostin's attorney denied all the allegations, calling the lawsuit a meritless attempt by a near-bankrupt insurance carrier to intimidate and harass doctors. The attorney claimed that the real issue was the insurance carrier's attempt to limit health care benefits to its insureds.
Response from Sunny Hostin
In a recent discussion on "The View," Sunny Hostin defended her husband's work, stating that he operates on patients without insurance and often has to sue insurance companies to get paid for his services. Hostin and her husband, married since 1998, have two children.
insurance fraud, Sunny Hostin, The View, lawsuit, orthopedic surgeon
