January 22, 2021

The estate of Dr. Patrick T. Hunter has agreed to pay more than $1.7 million to resolve allegations that the urologist, who passed away in 2019, submitted false claims to Medicare and TRICARE for medically unnecessary procedures and received improper payments for them from the Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery.  Between 2010 and 2016, Dr. Hunter allegedly performed the lithotripsy procedures, which break up kidney stones, on patients who either did not have kidney stones or were not medically indicated for them.  For initiating the successful qui tam suit, whistleblower Scott Thompson will receive a relator’s share of $385,000.  USAO MDFL

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicare, Other Government Health Programs, Provider Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,