Dallas lab company paid doctors kickbacks for drug screen referrals, using 'sham investment model,'
Federal authorities have accused a Dallas laboratory of paying kickbacks to physicians for referring patients to the company for blood and urine screens using a “sham investment model.”
Southwest Laboratories paid one doctor up to $5,000 per month for referrals, according to a Bill Powell, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia.
The payments were disguised as dividends, and the number of shares doctors could buy in Southwest labs was tied to the number of urine drug screens they generated for the company, Powell said.
At least one doctor has settled kickback allegations with the government in connection with the alleged scheme. Brenna Green, 41, agreed to pay the government $199,425, Powell said.
Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2018/05/08/dallas-lab-company-paid-doctors-kickbacks-samples-using-sham-investment-model-feds-say
