SouthernCare, Inc., a hospice care provider, will pay $6 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations surrounding Medicare claims for hospice care that was medically unnecessary or lacked documentation. SouthernCare admitted patients into hospice that were not terminally ill and lacked the proper documentation showing illness. The suit was brought forth by two whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The two former employees will share approximately $1.1 million of the recovery between them. To read more from Reuters, click here.
Dr. Irfan Siddiqui and his vascular surgery practice, Heart and Vascular Institute of Florida, have agreed to pay $2.23 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations. From 2011 to 2018, Dr. Siddiqui allegedly submitted false claims to federal health programs for reimbursement of vein ablation procedures that contained fabricated diagnoses and symptoms. The settlement arises from a lawsuit filed by one of Dr. Siddiqui’s patients under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. She will receive $446,000 for her share of the recovery. To read the full DOJ press release, click here.
Antonio Perez, owner of Valles Pharmacy Discount, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme. Perez caused Medicare to pay more than $8.4 million over a six-year period for prescription drugs that were never provided to patients. He also admitted to paying illegal health care kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for a promise that they would fill their prescriptions at Valles Pharmacy Discount. To read more from The Miami Herald, click here.
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