Merrillville otolaryngologist Mark Weinberger, who is facing literally hundreds of medical malpractice lawsuits in Indiana, is seeking a plea deal in regards to the 22 counts of health care fraud he is currently facing in court. Weinberger would like the court to come to an agreement where he would plead guilty to all 22 counts. In exchange, he would receive four years in jail and pay $366,000 to patients that did not receive services that they paid for. If convicted, he could face 10 years in prison and up to $5.5 million in fees and restitution.
While many of his former patients – some whom he injured and other whom he stole from – are happy to see that he will be spending time in prison and paying back some of his patients, others are upset that they might not see justice individually. Most agree that four years in prison is not enough for someone who stole from so many patients, made regular surgical errors, and missed several cancer diagnoses during his time practicing in Gary.
