Search results for: genetic testing
Pennsylvania Lab Owner Sentenced to Prison in Illegal Kickback Scheme Involving Labs
The owner of two Pennsylvania testing labs in was sentenced to 18 months in prison, ordered to forfeit $9 million in criminal proceeds and pay more than $77 million in restitution for his involvement in an illegal kickback scheme. Ravitej Reddy pleaded guilty in 2020 to three conspiracy counts and one substantive count related to…
Read MoreThe Federal Government Nets $2.2B in Settlements and Judgements Under the False Claims Act, Including $1.7B in Healthcare-Related Fraud
Settlements and judgements under the False Claims Act (FCA) surpassed $2.2 billion for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2022. Of that, $1.7 billion related to matters involving the healthcare industry, including drug and medical device manufacturers, durable medical equipment, home health and managed care providers, hospitals, pharmacies, hospice organizations, and physicians. The government and…
Read MoreTexas MD Faces Significant Prison Time for TRICARE Fraud
A Texas physician faces significant time behind bars after being convicted of engaging in a scheme to fraudulently bill TRICARE, for toxicology and genetic tests that were not provided as represented and/or were medically unnecessary. TRICARE is the healthcare program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, Dr. Sekhar Rao, a vascular and interventional…
Read MorePractitioner Beware: OIG Issues Telemedicine Fraud Alert
The increasing number of fraudulent schemes involving telemedicine companies prompted the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services to recently issue a special fraud alert. The alert came on the heels of a nationwide crackdown on a $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme leading to charges against three dozen defendants in…
Read MoreThree Dozen Charged in $1.2 Billion Healthcare Fraud Scheme
The U.S. Department of Justice, through coordinated investigations across 13 districts, has filed criminal charges against three dozen defendants who allegedly were involved in $1.2 billion in fraudulent telemedicine, cardiovascular and cancer genetic testing, and durable medical equipment schemes. Those charged include a telemedicine company executive, owners and executives of clinical laboratories, durable medical equipment…
Read MoreWatchdog Agency Details Enforcement Activities During Six-Month Period
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) expects to make nearly $3 billion in recoveries resulting from the agency’s audits and investigations, according to its Semiannual Report to Congress released earlier this month. The semiannual reporting period runs from Oct. 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022. The watchdog agency…
Read MoreNew York MD Settles COVID Fraud Case
A New York doctor has become the latest to learn that the government is serious about cracking down on those who take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Josef Schenker and two of the urgent care facilities that he owns agreed to pay more than $564,000 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to…
Read MoreGovernment Nabs More Covid Fraud Suspects
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in yet another avenue to perpetuate fraud within the healthcare arena. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced criminal charges had been filed against 21 people in nine federal districts for their alleged participation in various schemes that exploited the pandemic to the tune of $149 million. Cities involved…
Read MoreOIG Expects to Recover Nearly $4B from Audits, Investigations in 2021
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General’s fight against healthcare fraud, waste and abuse is paying off. The watchdog agency, in its Semiannual Report to Congress, noted that during the six-month period ended Sept. 30, 2021, it expects to make nearly $4 billion in recoveries as a result of…
Read MoreSeven Not So Lucky Number for Two Healthcare Providers
A Florida doctor and the owner of several diagnostic labs have recently found themselves each facing jail sentences of seven years for committing healthcare fraud in separate cases. On Nov. 9, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Leonel Palatnik of Aventura and co-owner of Panda Conservation Group, was sentenced to nearly 7 years in…
Read More