Manager of Dental Office Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Medicaid Out of More Than $813,000
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2021, a former dental office manager was sentenced to 12 months in prison for her role in a Medicaid fraud scheme. Mahsa Azimirad, was the office manager for Universal Smiles, a D.C.-based dental practice, according […]
Dental Office Manager Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Defrauding Medicaid Out of More Than $813,000
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2021, a former dental office manager was sentenced to 12 months in prison for her role in a Medicaid fraud scheme. Mahsa Azimirad, was the office manager for Universal Smiles, a D.C.-based dental practice, according […]
Medicare Final Rule Decreased Physician Payments But Expands Coverage to Counselors
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm On November 2, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that decreased overall payment rates for services provided under the Physician Fee Schedule […]
Psychiatric Practice, Owner Agree to Pay $310,000 in FCA Settlement for Employing Doctor on OIG Exclusion List
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 23, 2022, a psychiatric practice and its owner agreed to pay $310,874 to resolve allegations they improperly hired and employed a physician who was excluded from federal healthcare programs. The physician who was hired was on […]
Psychiatric Practice to Pay $310,000 in FCA Settlement for Employing Doctor on OIG Exclusion List
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 23, 2022, a psychiatric practice and its owner agreed to pay $310,874 to resolve allegations they improperly hired and employed a physician who was excluded from federal healthcare programs. The physician who was hired was on […]
Psychiatric Practice Reaches Settlement in FCA Suit to End Allegations of Employing Physician on OIG Exclusion List
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 23, 2022, a psychiatric practice and its owner agreed to pay $310,874 to resolve allegations they improperly hired and employed a physician who was excluded from federal healthcare programs. The physician who was hired was on […]
Owner of Psychiatry Practice Pays Hefty Settlement in FCA Case for Employing Doc on OIG Exclusion List
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 23, 2022, a psychiatric practice and its owner agreed to pay $310,874 to resolve allegations they improperly hired and employed a physician who was excluded from federal healthcare programs. The physician who was hired was on […]
Psychiatric Practice Pays $310,000 in FCA Settlement for Employing Physician on OIG Exclusion List
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 23, 2022, a psychiatric practice and its owner agreed to pay $310,874 to resolve allegations they improperly hired and employed a physician who was excluded from federal healthcare programs. The physician who was hired was on […]
Court Assesses $170 Million in Fines Against Two Texas Ophthalmologists For False Claims
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 18, 2021, the Justice Department announced that two Texas ophthalmologists and their eye clinic must pay millions of dollars in penalties for fraudulently billing Medicare. The penalties were assessed in connection with their evaluation and treatment […]
How Can I Be Sure I Don’t Have Employees, Contractors Who Are on Medicare’s Exclusion List?
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We are often consulted by companies in the health care industry and by health professionals after they receive a subpoena or audit regarding their employing or contracting with an individual or business that is on the Office of […]
Florida Doctor Charged for $2.1 Billion Medicare Fraud; Largest Healthcare Fraud Scheme Ever Reported
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2019, a Florida doctor was implicated in what federal investigators say is one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged. According to prosecutors, the doctor allegedly authorized genetic testing for patients he never […]
Mental Health Professionals: You Must Challenge Overpayment Demands from Medicare and Medicaid Audits
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We have gotten calls from many mental health professionals who have been placed on prepayment review after failing to challenge Medicare or Medicaid audit results. Once placed on prepayment review, the payments are held up for many months. […]
HHS Announces Proposed Rules to Reform Stark Law and AKS Regulations
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 9, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued two proposed rules to reform the federal Stark Law (dealing with […]
Florida Doctor Charged in Largest Medicare Fraud Scheme Ever Reported
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 1, 2019, a Florida doctor was implicated in what federal investigators say is one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged. According to prosecutors, the doctor allegedly authorized genetic testing for patients he never […]
Dentists: Challenge Overpayment Demands from Medicare, Medicaid Audits!
During our years of experience, we have gotten many calls from dentists who have been placed on prepayment review after failing to challenge the results of Medicare and Medicaid audits. Once placed on prepayment review, the payments are held up for many months. Some providers are even forced out of business as a result. Failing […]
CMS Announces Final Rule to Reduce Criminal Behavior in Medicare, Medicaid
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that strengthens the ability to stop fraud and abuse before it happens. The “Program Integrity Enhancements to the Provider Enrollment Process” goes […]
Follow These Steps to Challenge OIG Exclusion From Medicare
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]
The Administrative Process to Challenge OIG Exclusion Actions
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]
Steps to Challenge OIG Exclusion Action from Medicare Program
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]
How to Challenge an OIG Exclusion Action from Medicare
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many health professionals don’t understand the significant repercussions that an exclusion action by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) can have on their professional careers and future employment. Whether you are a physician, nurse, dentist, psychologist or […]
So, the ZPIC Medicare Auditor Wants to Talk to You? What You Should Expect
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law You are a physician, nurse or other health care provider who bills Medicare. You have received that dreaded letter from the Zone Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC) for Medicare advising you that it is auditing you for the Centers […]
Miami Man to Remain Jailed for Trial in Nation’s Largest Medicare Fraud Case
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On December 3, 2018, a Florida judge ruled that a Miami businessman who has been jailed for more than two years on $1 billion health care fraud charges, must remain in custody through his trial next year. U.S. […]
Walgreens Agrees to Pay $269 Million to Settle Two FCA Suits
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On January 22, 2019, Walgreens agreed to pay more than $269 million to settle allegations of False Claims Act (FCA) violations for overbilling of various drugs. The deals are some of the largest pay-outs ever by a retail […]
The Most Common Cases The Health Law Firm Takes
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law One of the most common questions we get asked by doctors and lawyers alike, is about the types of cases our firm takes. They often mistake the practice of health law as medical malpractice defense. However, this is […]
DOJ Announces $2.8 Billion Recovered Funds From Healthcare Cases in 2018
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On December 21, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it recovered more than $2.8 billion from False Claims Act (FCA) (also known as “qui tam” or “whistleblower cases”) cases in 2018. Of the $2.8 billion […]
DOJ Announces $2.8 Billion Recovered From Healthcare FCA Cases in 2018
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On December 21, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it recovered more than $2.8 billion from False Claims Act (FCA) (also known as “qui tam” or “whistleblower cases”) cases in 2018. Of the $2.8 billion […]