by Andrew Murray | November 13th, 2019
On November 7, 2019, The Attorney General of Massachusetts announced the settlement. The Press Release states:
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A Dover doctor has agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve allegations that he caused his employer to inappropriately bill the state’s Medicaid Program (MassHealth) for portions of surgical procedures that never took place and office visits that he did not attend or supervise, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.
Under the terms of a settlement agreement, Ingolf Tuerk, a medical doctor who practiced urology at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, will pay $150,000 to resolve allegations that he caused improper billings to MassHealth of over $31,000. Dr. Tuerk must also implement a multi-year compliance program at his own expense if he continues to practice medicine in Massachusetts after 2019.
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The AG’s Office alleges that Dr. Tuerk instructed his residents and fellows to document the use of ultrasound probes during partial nephrectomies (kidney removal) in patient medical records, even when they had not been used during surgeries. The AG’s Office also alleges that Dr. Tuerk billed MassHealth for office visits that used billing codes indicating he was present or supervising other medical professionals, despite patients only being seen by an unsupervised resident or fellow.
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