Anti-Kickback and Stark

March 13, 2017

Massachusetts-based Charles River Laboratories International Inc. agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle claims it violated the False Claims Act by improperly charging for labor and other associated costs not actually provided on certain National Institutes of Health contracts relating to the provision of laboratory animals to the NIH. DOJ

March 6, 2017

New Jersey family doctor Bernard Greenspan was convicted for accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals as part of a long-running scheme operated by Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC. DOJ (DNJ)

March 2, 2017

Detroit-area physician Aaron Goldfein pleaded guilty for his role in a $5.4 million Medicare fraud scheme involving phony physician visits and drug prescriptions.  As part of his plea, Goldfein admitted to being part of a scheme in which his co-conspirators would hold themselves out as licensed physicians and purport to perform physician home visits and other services for Medicare beneficiaries, although these co-conspirators were not licensed to practice medicine in Michigan.  Goldfein would then bill Medicare through Tri-City Medical Center as if he himself had completed these visits.  Goldfein also admitted to being part of a scheme in which he received kickbacks in exchange for writing home health prescriptions. DOJ

March 2, 2017

Miami residents Mildrey Gonzalez and Milka Alfaro pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from their roles in a $20 million home health care fraud scheme.  Gonzalez and Alfaro were co-owners of seven home health care agencies:  Inar Home Care Service Corp., MA Home Health Inc., Golden Home Health Care Inc., Nova Home Health Care Inc., Finetech Home Health Inc., Homestead Home Health Care LLC and Metro Dade Home Health Inc.  Gonzalez and Alfaro admitted paying bribes and kickbacks to medical professionals in return for the provision of prescriptions for home health care services and referrals of Medicare beneficiaries to their home health care agencies. DOJ

March 16, 2017

Northern California Record discusses Constantine Cannon’s matter against Bay Sleep Clinic.  Click here to read its article: Government settles $2.6 M whistleblower suit against sleep clinics.

February 24, 2017

Raciel Leon, manager of Mercy Home Care Inc. and a billing employee for D&D&D Home Health Care Inc., two Miami-area home health agencies, was sentenced to a 126 month prison term for his role in a $2.5 million Medicare fraud scheme.  The evidence at trial showed that Leon and his co-conspirators used the companies to submit false claims to Medicare based on services not medically necessary, not actually provided, and for patients procured through the payment of illegal kickbacks to doctors and patient recruiters.  DOJ

February 9, 2017

University Behavioral Health of El Paso agreed to pay $860,000 to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare tainted by the payment of kickbacks to a physician under the guise of a professional services agreement in return for the physician’s referral of patients to the hospital.  Specifically, the physician received payments above fair market value, or for services not rendered, and made improper referrals to the hospital for Medicare-reimbursed services.  DOJ (WDTX)