Paintsville Doctor Acquitted of Nine Charges Including Drug Distribution and Healthcare Fraud

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

LONDON —Dr. Loey Kousa was acquitted on July 19, of all nine charges in his indictment including drug distribution and healthcare fraud, according to court documents.

Kousa operates East KY Clinic PLLC in Johnson County.

Kousa was indicted last year on five charges of writing prescriptions for opioid pain drugs without a legitimate medical purpose; two charges of health fraud for allegedly billing health programs such as Medicaid and Medicare for services that were not needed, not performed or less expensive than he said and two charges of making false statements in medical records.

The judgement of acquittal states that Kousa is acquitted, discharged from any supervision or conditions, and any bond is exonerated from all nine counts.

“Nearly 30 years ago a Syrian immigrant came to the United States to practice medicine. At that time, doctors who agreed to work in underserved communities found an easier path to licensure and citizenship. Thirty years later, Dr. Loey Kousa could still be found rushing to the local Paul B. Hall Hospital in the evening to treat a patient or handling the wealth of primary care complaints impacting local residents,” Federal Defense Attorney Ronald W. Chapman II said in a post on his page. “Every day for 30 years Dr. Kousa would work nearly 16 hours a day, rounding at the hospital early in the morning, a primary care shift at his practice during the day, and another set of rounds and the hospital or the local nursing home in the evening. He’d stay up late charting and then wake up early to rinse and repeat. He did it because he loved medicine, he did it because he loved his patients, and he did it because that’s how he created a beautiful life for his family.”

“After four days of Government evidence and a two-day defense case, closing arguments were delivered and the jury began deliberations. The jury emerged the next morning with a verdict,” Chapman said. “Dr. Kousa’s head slumped as the verdict was read, the weight of the last three years visibly lifting off of his shoulders. His sister, also a physician in Paintsville quietly sobbed in the back of the courtroom. That night, Dr. Kousa drove with his wife, sister and three young children home ot begin his life anew.”