Former Elko doctor indicted

A former Elko doctor has been indicted by Reno's federal grand jury on health-care and mail fraud charges.

Mark Capener, 45, faces 38 counts of health-care fraud each carrying up to 10 years in prison. He faces 13 counts of mail fraud, each of which has a maximum 20-year sentence. And he faces up to five years for allegedly making a false statement to a federal agent.

Each of those charges also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said Capener specializes in ear, nose and throat medicine. He lived in Elko from 1999 to 2002 but has since moved to Idaho Falls.

Bogden said the indictment accuses Capener of defrauding health-care benefit programs by billing for services he never rendered, billing for surgeries not required by the patient and "up-coding" - the practice of charging for more expensive services than actually provided.

Specifically, the indictment charges Capener billed health-care programs for 38 unnecessary nasal surgeries.

The mail fraud counts stem from using the postal service to mail the bills.

Capener was ordered to appear for arraignment Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Robert McQuaid Jr. in Reno.