Fla. Health Providers to Settle Fraud Claims for $3.5M; Whistleblower to Get $610K
Several Florida-based radiation oncology providers have agreed to pay $3.5 million to the U.S. government and the State of Florida to resolve allegations that they knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to federal health care programs, the U.S. Department of Justice announced last week. The defendants include Gulf Region Radiation Oncology Centers Inc. (GRROC), Gulf Region Radiation Oncology MSO LLC, Sacred Heart Health System Inc., West Florida Medical Center Clinic P.A., Emerald Coast Radiation Oncology Center LLC (ECROC), Dr. Gerald Lowrey and Dr. Rod Krentel.
The government alleged that the defendants regularly billed for radiation oncology services that were not supervised by a physician, as required by Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE, and that, in fact, these services were often performed while the defendant doctors were on vacation or were working at another radiation oncology clinic. The government also alleged that the defendants billed for other treatment services even when patients’ medical records provided no evidence that the services were rendered. The defendants also allegedly billed twice for the same services and misrepresented the level of a service provided to increase their reimbursement from the federal health care programs.
The lawsuit was originally filed by Richard Coch, a former employee of GRROC, under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to sue on behalf of the government and share in the recovery. Coch will receive $609,796 as his portion of the settlement.
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 expose every kind of fraud against the 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.