A Houston physician and the diagnostic centers he owns agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle False Claims Act Allegations.
Mohammad Athari, MD, 80, is accused of falsely billing Medicare for services that were not reasonable or medically necessary between July 2014 and July 2017, according to a March 22 Justice Department news release.
The settlement also resolves allegations that from January 2014 through January 2021, Dr. Athari submitted false claims to Medicare by billing for diagnostic imaging procedures in violation of Stark law, according to the release. He allegedly referred patients to diagnostic centers he owned.
The claims resolved in the settlement are allegations and there has been no admission of liability.
The case stems from a whistleblower complaint, the release said. The whistleblower will receive 18% of the settlement proceeds.