Florida Surgeon, Device Company Owner Arrested For Paying Bribes, Kickbacks
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 7, 2021, federal prosecutors announced the arrest of a Florida surgeon and owner of device company SpineFrontier Inc on charges of bribing surgeons to use products by paying sham consulting fees. Accused in an indictment in […]
Manager of Dental Office Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Medicaid Out of More Than $813,000
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2021, a former dental office manager was sentenced to 12 months in prison for her role in a Medicaid fraud scheme. Mahsa Azimirad, was the office manager for Universal Smiles, a D.C.-based dental practice, according […]
Dental Office Manager Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Defrauding Medicaid Out of More Than $813,000
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2021, a former dental office manager was sentenced to 12 months in prison for her role in a Medicaid fraud scheme. Mahsa Azimirad, was the office manager for Universal Smiles, a D.C.-based dental practice, according […]
What Payers Are Considered to Be “Federal Payers” Under the Federal Anti-kickback Statute?
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits remuneration in relation to the provision of a “good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be made in whole or in part under a Federal health care program.” 42 U.S.C. § […]
First COVID-19 Breathalyzer Test Authorized By FDA
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On April 14, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for the first Covid-19 diagnostic test that uses breath samples. The test, made by Texas-based company, InspectIR Systems, is authorized for those […]
Doctor Indicted in $1.3 Million Medicare Fraud Kickback Case Seeks Reinstatement of Medicare Billing Privileges
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2021, a doctor and his wife who had been indicted for their roles in a $1.3 million Medicare fraud scheme asked a New Jersey court to eliminate a bail condition. The doctor argued that the […]
Court Assesses $170 Million in Fines Against Two Texas Ophthalmologists For False Claims
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 18, 2021, the Justice Department announced that two Texas ophthalmologists and their eye clinic must pay millions of dollars in penalties for fraudulently billing Medicare. The penalties were assessed in connection with their evaluation and treatment […]
Centene Reaches $166 Million Settlement With Texas Over Its Medicaid Drug Pricing
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The nation’s largest Medicaid insurer, Centene, has agreed to pay $165.6 million to Texas to resolve claims that it overcharged the state’s Medicaid program for pharmacy services. The deal was signed on July 11, 2022, but wasn’t publicly […]
Doctors Beware: Genetic Testing Scams Rip off Government Payers for Hundreds of Millions – Part 1 of 2
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Several genetic testing companies have come into the spotlight for allegations of ripping off Medicare and False Claims Act (FCA) violations. Health care professionals need to be aware of these types of schemes and the dangers they may […]
Florida Doctor Charged for $2.1 Billion Medicare Fraud; Largest Healthcare Fraud Scheme Ever Reported
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2019, a Florida doctor was implicated in what federal investigators say is one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged. According to prosecutors, the doctor allegedly authorized genetic testing for patients he never […]
HHS Announces Proposed Rules to Reform Stark Law and AKS Regulations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 9, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued two proposed rules to reform the federal Stark Law (dealing with […]
Florida Doctor Charged in Largest Medicare Fraud Scheme Ever Reported
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2019, a Florida doctor was implicated in what federal investigators say is one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged. According to prosecutors, the doctor allegedly authorized genetic testing for patients he never […]
Genetic Testing Scams Ripping off Government Programs for Millions, Part 1 of 2
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Several genetic testing companies have come into the spotlight for allegations of ripping off Medicare and False Claims Act (FCA) violations. Health care professionals need to be aware of these types of schemes and the dangers they may […]