by Ben Vernia | January 1st, 2014
On December 19, the Department of Justice announced that a West Tennessee cardiologist has settled False Claims Act allegations for $1.5 million. According to DOJ’s press release:
Cardiologist Dr. Elie H. Korban will pay $1.15 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he billed Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary cardiac stent placements, the Justice Department announced today. Korban owns Delta Clinic, with offices in Jackson, Tenn., and Lexington, Tenn., and has privileges at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and Regional Hospital of Jackson, both in Jackson, Tenn.
* * *
Cardiac stents are mesh tubes placed in coronary arteries of patients to keep their arteries open during the treatment of coronary heart disease. The government contends that, from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2008, Korban placed cardiac stents in Medicare and Medicaid patients when the stents were not medically necessary . The government also claims that Korban improperly billed Medicare for work performed by substitute doctors when he was available to perform the services himself.
* * *
As part of the settlement, Korban entered into an Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General intended to deter wrongful conduct in the future. The agreement requires enhanced accountability and monitoring activities to be conducted by both internal and independent external reviewers.
The case was originally brought by a qui tam whistleblower, who will receive a share of the settlement yet to be determined, the government announced.
