A former neurosurgeon agreed to pay $1.2 million after performing medically unnecessary procedures that were billed to federal healthcare programs, ABC affiliate KIMA reported April 25.
Jason Dreyer, DO, was employed at Providence St. Mary's Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash., between 2013 and 2018. He was permitted to resign without being reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank or the Washington State Department of Health after the hospital received patient safety reports, according to KIMA.
Dr. Dreyer at the time was employed at Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System, where he allegedly caused false and fraudulent billing to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs by performing medically unnecessary procedures that did not need requirements for reimbursement.
Both Providence Health and MultiCare paid Dr. Dreyer based on productivity metrics in which he was paid for performing more surgeries and surgical procedures of greater complexity, according to the report.
The settlement resolved the allegations. Dr. Dreyer agreed to be excluded from participating in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs for at least nine years before he can request reinstatement from the Department of Health and Human Services. He will also pay $1,174,849.