January 21, 2014 — What can health care insiders do to prevent fraudulent claims against Medicare? Plenty, as a matter of fact. The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) relies on health care industry tipsters to help stop false claims against government healthcare programs. The False Claims Act includes qui tam language enabling whistleblowers to file a lawsuit for the government’s benefit. To encourage informants to come forward, the Act entitles tipsters to a significant cut of the government’s
Doctor Made False Claims to Medicare and Medicaid for Unnecessary Heart Stents
A Tennessee cardiologist has settled a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that he billed federal healthcare programs for cardiac stent placements that were medically unnecessary. Dr. Elie H. Korban, owner of the Delta Clinic in Jackson and Lexington, Tennessee, has agreed to pay $1.15 million to resolve the False Claims Act allegations.
Physicians use cardiac stents in the treatment of coronary heart disease to keep the coronary arteries open. Between 2005 and 2008, the Justice Department contends, Korban placed the mesh tubes in Medicare and Medicaid patients even though the stents were not medically necessary. Korban is also alleged to have billed Medicare for work that other physicians performed when he was unavailable himself.
The allegations against Korban were first brought to light in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Dr. Wood M. Deming, who will share a portion of the government’s settlement amount.
Clamping Down on Medicare Billing Fraud
Employees of most health care providers strive to steer clear of false or even questionable claims to Medicare. These honest workers deserve to understand their full rights under the False Claims Act before filing a lawsuit. With whistleblower lawyers in California, Texas and the Washington, D.C. area, Waters & Kraus is devoted to safeguarding your interests. When you’re ready to collaborate with the government, Contact us or phone our False Claims Act lawyers at 855.784.0268 to learn more about the whistleblower process.
