Philadelphia Police: 'Goodie bag' doctor from Montco charged with fraud

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Montgomery County doctor faces charges for illegally handing out what investigators described as "goodie bags" of prescription drugs to patients.

Sixty-year-old Andrew Berkowitz of Huntingdon Valley operated a practice in Philadelphia's Somerton neighborhood under the name 'A+ Pain Management.'

Prosecutors said Berkowitz's patients would leave his office with a "goodie bag" filled with drugs including oxycodone and muscle relaxers.

Berkowitz is accused of then billing insurers for medically unnecessary treatments and prescription drugs.

Prosecutors said he obtained payments from insurers of more than $4,000 for each bag.

He has been charged by indictment with 19 counts of health care fraud, and 23 counts of distributing oxycodone outside the course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.