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SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California cosmetic surgeon has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for bilking insurers into paying for tummy tucks, nose jobs and other procedures his patients didn't need.
Dr. David Morrow wasn't in federal court for his sentencing Friday. Morrow pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and filing a false tax return but he and his wife have been on the run for four months.
Prosecutors say the Rancho Mirage surgeon got insurers to pay more than $20 million for procedures he described as medically necessary but weren't, or mischaracterized. For instance, a tummy tuck was billed as a hernia repair.
Authorities say in some cases, patients had operations they didn't want in exchange for promises that Morrow would perform the cosmetic procedures they wanted.
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