Generally, when a doctor is convicted for fraud, the misdeeds are limited to a single category of fraud. Maybe the doctor charged for procedures that weren’t performed; maybe there were kickbacks for referrals; or maybe self-referrals were involved. But last Friday a doctor in Michigan pleaded guilty to a …
OIG Advises that Exclusive Lab Referral Arrangement May be a Kickback
March 25, 2015 Leave a Comment
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an advisory opinion (No. 15-04) today that states a proposed arrangement to provide free laboratory tests for certain patients of associated physician practices could implicate the federal anti-kickback law. An unnamed …
Government Joins Lawsuit Against Florida Doctor Alleging Fraud and Kickbacks
January 5, 2015 Leave a Comment
In a move demonstrating the government’s continued aim to combat health care fraud through its Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), the Department of Justice announced today that the government has intervened in two qui tam lawsuits against a Florida cardiologist, Dr. Asad Qamar, and …
Two Months After Indictment, Medicare Fraud Mastermind and Doctor Plead Guilty
December 18, 2014 Leave a Comment
Mark Morad, the man who cooked up a $56 million Medicare fraud scheme, and his accomplice doctor pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Louisiana to various health care fraud charges. According to a September 2014, indictment Mr. Morad directed a massive Medicare fraud scheme through multiple companies he …
$85 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH DOJ IN HALIFAX HOSPITAL STARK CASE
March 5, 2014 Leave a Comment
Facing as much as $1.1 billion in damages and civil penalties and having already spent more than $15 million in legal fees, Halifax Hospital in Daytona Florida averted jury selection in its upcoming trial by reaching an $85 million tentative settlement with the Department of Justice, according to the …
Sunshine – Lessons From the First Two Months of Tracking Payments
October 15, 2013 Leave a Comment
The first two-plus months of tracking payments under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act are now in the rearview mirror. Though novel questions continue to arise (albeit with less frequency), CMS has attempted to keep up, offering additional FAQs. Several of the more recent FAQs are of particular interest to …