Salinas pain doctor agrees to stop prescribing medications

UPDATE 7/20/2016 12:00 PM: A Salinas pain doctor will not be allowed to possess or distribute any prescription medicines under the terms of a bail agreement announced Wednesday by Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo.

Dr. Steven Mangar was arrested and charged in May of 2016 with 37 felony counts including furnishing drugs to an addict, prescribing unnecessary medicines to patients, and submitting false health insurance claims and bills. The district attorney said Mangar had taken in more than $500,000 from his illegal activities.

Under the conditions of his bail agreement, Mangar agreed to surrender all prescription pads and Drug and Enforcement Administration permits, and abstain from personal use or possession of controlled substances. He is also required to notify his patients that he can no longer prescribe any medications.

ORIGINAL STORY: A Salinas doctor was arrested Tuesday and charged with 37 felony offenses ranging from insurance fraud to prescribing drugs illegally.

Steven Mangar is charged with submitting fraudulent health insurance claims and billings, furnishing drugs to an addict, and illegally prescribing medicine to patients who did not have the condition for which the medicine was intended.Mangar faces additional enhancements for allegedly taking in more than $500,000 through unlawful activities.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s office, Mangar illegally prescribed powerful narcotic painkillers, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and Dilaudid from his Salinas medical practice, Pacific Pain Care.

District Attorney Dean Flippo said the investigation — conducted jointly by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Insurance, and the California Medical Board — took about two years to complete.

“Multi-faceted insurance fraud schemes are exceedingly sophisticated,” said Flippo. “This complex investigation required review of tens of thousands of pieces of evidence.”

Mangar faces a maximum sentence of 44 years, 8 months in state prison. He is expected to be arraigned within 48 hours. Bail has been set at $1 million.