Ex-Georgia insurance commissioner John Oxendine surrenders law license [Video]

Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, now in federal prison, has surrendered his law license after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

The Georgia Supreme Court, in a brief decision on Tuesday, accepted Oxendine’s surrender, meaning he can no longer practice law in the state.

U.S. District Judge Steve Jones in July sentenced Oxendine to three-and-a-half years in prison. The 62-year-old Oxendine is currently an inmate at the minimum security federal prison camp in Pensacola, Florida. The Federal Bureau of Prisons projects a September 2027 release date.

Oxendine admitted to urging physicians who worked for Dr. Jeffrey Gallups to order unnecessary medical tests on patients and bill insurers for them. Prosecutors said Oxendine also devised a plan to collect $260,000 in kickbacks from medical testing company Next Health through his consulting firm and funnel most of the money to Gallups.

Oxendine paid a $150,000 charitable contribution and $70,000 in attorney’s fees on Gallups′ behalf, prosecutors said, keeping …