UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa., and five affiliated cardiologists want a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the providers performed unnecessary heart procedures and overbilled Medicare, according to an Erie Times-News report.
The whistleblower suit was filed by former Erie cardiologist Tullio Emanuele, MD, and was made public in January. It claims the hospital allowed physicians to perform eight improper angioplasty procedures from 2001 to 2005 and bill Medicare for the services. The suit also alleges that Medicor Associates, the full-service cardiology group affiliated with UPMC Hamot also named in the suit, engaged in kickbacks with the hospital to induce referrals.
UPMC Hamot and the cardiologists contend the suit lacks specific information to support the allegations. They also claim that the statute of limitations nullifies some of the accusations. Hospital lawyers say Dr. Emanuele's suit "does not identify a single claim for reimbursement that Hamot submitted to the federal government, let alone a claim tied to allegedly illicit referrals or unnecessary procedures," according to the report.
U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin, who is handling the case, has set a deadline of May 7 for Dr. Emanuele's lawyers to respond to the dismissal requests.
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The whistleblower suit was filed by former Erie cardiologist Tullio Emanuele, MD, and was made public in January. It claims the hospital allowed physicians to perform eight improper angioplasty procedures from 2001 to 2005 and bill Medicare for the services. The suit also alleges that Medicor Associates, the full-service cardiology group affiliated with UPMC Hamot also named in the suit, engaged in kickbacks with the hospital to induce referrals.
UPMC Hamot and the cardiologists contend the suit lacks specific information to support the allegations. They also claim that the statute of limitations nullifies some of the accusations. Hospital lawyers say Dr. Emanuele's suit "does not identify a single claim for reimbursement that Hamot submitted to the federal government, let alone a claim tied to allegedly illicit referrals or unnecessary procedures," according to the report.
U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin, who is handling the case, has set a deadline of May 7 for Dr. Emanuele's lawyers to respond to the dismissal requests.
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