A Brentwood optometrist was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison after admitting she submitted approximately $11 million in false claims to Medicare and other government health care programs, ultimately receiving nearly $7 million, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday.
Chief U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell Jr. sentenced Helen Boerman last week. She was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release, pay back almost $7 million in restitution, and pay a $100 special assessment.
Helen Boerman, 48 of Brentwood, Tennessee, pleaded GUILTY earlier this week to her role in defrauding Medicare out of $6.9 MILLION, announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek of @USAO_MDTN.
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— National Fraud Enforcement Division (@DOJFraudDiv) May 7, 2026
According to the DOJ, Boerman used her practice, Brentwood Eye Care, to submit false Medicare claims over approximately three and a half years. The claims included services patients did not receive, and wound care products Boerman had not purchased or used as billed.
In one example cited by prosecutors, Boerman submitted claims for wound care procedures involving two Medicare beneficiaries on six dates in May 2022, although appointment records showed the patients were seen on only three of those dates.
The DOJ said Boerman directed employees to create false records supporting the additional claims.
The DOJ also said Boerman submitted false claims to TennCare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program between March 2020 and October 2024.
Boerman’s sentence was substantially longer than the 12 months and one day requested by the optometrist’s attorneys in a September 4 sentencing memorandum. Her attorneys acknowledged her criminal conduct while arguing that her actions were motivated in part by concerns about patient “safety” and “comfort” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her attorneys argued that she had no prior criminal history, accepted responsibility by pleading guilty, and had served her community through her optometry practice and volunteer efforts.
The DOJ said the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General investigated Boerman’s case.
The prosecution comes as the DOJ has placed increased emphasis on combating fraud against government benefit programs.
In April, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which the department said would focus on investigating and prosecuting those who fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
