Cardiologist to Settle False Medicare Claims For $1.15M

Cardiologist Dr. Elie H. Korban (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.

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 alleges that Korban placed cardiac stents in Medicare and Medicaid patients when the stents were not medically necessary and 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 lawsuit was originally filed by Dr. Wood M. Deming, another cardiologist, under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act.  The False Claims Act allows private parties with knowledge of fraud against the government to sue on behalf of the government and share in the recovery. Deming’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who uncover fraud of every kind perpetrated against our government including, health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.