Atlanta doctor Robert Williams sentenced in health care fraud case

A 77-year-old Atlanta physician has been sentenced to federal prison for health care fraud.

Dr. Robert Williams was sentenced to a year and three months in prison on Wednesday. He pleaded guilty in June.

U.S. Attoey Sally Quillian Yates says Williams attempted to bilk Medicare and Medicaid for over $2 million for psychological services he never provided to elderly patients.

Yates says Williams provided group psychological therapy to nursing home patients in the Atlanta area. She says in a little over two years, 95,000 Medicare and Medicaid claims were submitted using Williams' provider number for group psychological therapy, leading Medicare and Georgia Medicaid to pay out nearly $1 million.

Authorities say an investigation showed Williams sought payment for services provided to patients who were dead or unable to receive treatment.