Anesthesiologist Allen R. Foster, MD, of Knoxville, Tenn., has pleaded guilty to charges of healthcare fraud by billing TennCare and Medicare for face-to-face visits with patients that never occurred, according to a Knoxville News Sentinel report.
Dr. Foster operated pain clinics in Morristown, Tenn., as well as Knoxville. In what he coined a "fast-track system," established patients never saw Dr. Foster or any of his licensed medical providers, according to the report. Rather, office workers would check patient vital signs and ask about their conditions.
If patients did not report changes in their conditions, office staff would write prescriptions to be signed by Dr. Foster or his licensed medical staff and then distributed to patients.
Prosecutors said Dr. Foster billed TennCare and Medicare for face-to-face visits — which paid him more than he would have seen with no face-to-face interaction, according to the report.
Read the Knoxville News Sentinel report on Dr. Allen R. Foster.
Read more about physicians and fraud:
- Maryland Internist Allegedly Bilked More Than $800K From Medicare, Medicaid
- Former Neurologist Surrenders License For Allegedly Performing Unnecessary Tests
Dr. Foster operated pain clinics in Morristown, Tenn., as well as Knoxville. In what he coined a "fast-track system," established patients never saw Dr. Foster or any of his licensed medical providers, according to the report. Rather, office workers would check patient vital signs and ask about their conditions.
If patients did not report changes in their conditions, office staff would write prescriptions to be signed by Dr. Foster or his licensed medical staff and then distributed to patients.
Prosecutors said Dr. Foster billed TennCare and Medicare for face-to-face visits — which paid him more than he would have seen with no face-to-face interaction, according to the report.
Read the Knoxville News Sentinel report on Dr. Allen R. Foster.
Read more about physicians and fraud:
- Maryland Internist Allegedly Bilked More Than $800K From Medicare, Medicaid
- Former Neurologist Surrenders License For Allegedly Performing Unnecessary Tests