Foot doctor accused of bilking insurance firms

A Montgomery County foot doctor has been accused of bilking insurance companies out of $155,000, the state Attorney General's Office said yesterday.

Robert Kanowitz, 55, of Wynnewood, allegedly submitted claims for more than 3,600 nail avulsions, a surgery involving the partial removal of a toenail, from January 2005 to January 2008, a news release said. After receiving a tip from an insurance company, the Attorney General's Office turned the case over to a grand jury; it concluded that Kanowitz, who worked at several boarding homes, received reimbursement for the avulsions when he was only trimming toenails, the release said. An avulsion, unlike routine foot care, is covered by Medicaid, the release said.

The charges against Kanowitz include Medicaid fraud and theft by deception; he was arraigned before District Judge Karen Zucker, who released him on $50,000 unsecured bail, the release said. - Kathleen Brady Shea