Two physicians specializing in ophthalmology recently paid the federal government nearly $949,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act, according to the Department of Justice.
The settlement resolves allegations that Mark Smith, MD, and Fane Robinson, MD, physicians at San Diego Retina Associates, submitted false claims to Medicare. They allegedly submitted claims for care provided by a physician who was not properly credentialed to render care to Medicare patients.
The government further alleged that Drs. Smith and Robinson submitted claims to Medicare that misidentified the treating physician. They allegedly received Medicare payments for care provided by another physician, according to the Justice Department.
The allegations against the physicians were originally brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
Dignity Health's $100M ERISA class-action settlement was largest of 2019
Dallas healthcare executive sentenced for role in $450M billing fraud scheme
Physician group will refund Medicare $829K to resolve improper billing case