Pennsylvania Hospital and Cardiology Group Agree to Pay $20.75 Million to Settle Allegations of Kick

[nitpicker]

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pennsylvania-hospital-and-cardiology-group-agree-pay-2075-million-settle-allegations

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Pennsylvania Hospital and Cardiology Group Agree to Pay $20.75 Million to Settle Allegations of Kickbacks and Improper Financial Relationships

UPMC Hamot (Hamot), a hospital based in Erie, Pennsylvania – and now affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) – and Medicor Associates Inc. (Medicor), a regional physician cardiology practice, have agreed to pay the government $20,750,000 to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging that they knowingly submitted claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that violated the Anti‑Kickback Statute and the Physician Self‑Referral Law, the Justice Department announced today. Hamot became affiliated with UPMC after the conduct resolved by the settlement occurred.
(snip)

The settlement resolves allegations brought in a whistleblower action filed under the False Claims Act alleging that, from 1999 to 2010, Hamot paid Medicor up to $2 million per year under twelve physician and administrative services arrangements which were created to secure Medicor patient referrals. Hamot allegedly had no legitimate need for the services contracted for, and in some instances the services either were duplicative or were not performed.
(snip)

The lawsuit was filed by Dr. Tullio Emanuele, who worked for Medicor from 2001 to 2005, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The Act permits private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that defendants submitted false claims for government funds and to share in any recovery. The Act also allows the government to take over the case or, as in this case, the whistleblower to pursue it. In a March 15, 2017 ruling, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania held that two of Hamot’s arrangements with Medicor violated the Stark Law. The case was set for trial when the United States helped to facilitate the settlement. Dr. Emanuele will receive $6,017,500.
(snip)

[KPN]

1. Meanwhile, in Canada, hundreds of doctors

demand lower pay:
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/1016202795

[safeinOhio]

2. Double that fine and give some jail time...

Might put a dent in crime.