BOSTON – A New Bedford physician has been indicted on charges he allegedly illegally prescribed drugs to 15 of his patients and defrauded the state’s Medicaid program, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced recently.

Dr. Michael A. Taylor, a physician who formerly practiced at an office in New Bedford, was indicted by a grand jury in Bristol Superior Court on 16 counts of Illegal Prescribing of a Controlled Substance, 12 counts of violating the Medicaid False Claims Act and three counts of Larceny over $250. His arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

The indictments allege that Taylor prescribed oxycodone – a powerful drug determined to have a high potential for abuse – Percocet and other oxycodone-based drugs for no legitimate medical purpose, and outside the usual course of his professional practice. Taylor allegedly caused pharmacies to falsely bill MassHealth for these narcotics by representing that they were appropriate and medically necessary. •