Feds Use Physician Pay Data To Probe Fraud
Modern Healthcare reports on how the data made public last year can help the government prosecute health care fraud. Two federal lawsuits filed against a Florida cardiologist offer examples.
Modern Healthcare:
Medicare Doc Pay Data Can Bolster Fraud Cases, Lawyers Say
It may have been unsurprising to learn that the government is suing Dr. Asad Qamar for fraud, regardless of the merits of the case. The Florida cardiologist was outed in the national media last year as Medicare's second-highest-paid physician. ... But billing the federal healthcare program for unusually high sums isn't by itself an indication of fraud, experts say, and the new trove of payment information isn't enough to inspire a lawsuit against a highly paid doctor.The data could, however, bolster cases that whistle-blowers bring to lawyers based on other sources of information. (Schencker, 1/7)
Health News Florida:
Prominent Cardiologist Sued For Fraud By DOJ
One of the top Medicare billers in the country, Central Florida cardiologist Asad Qamar, is the target of two lawsuits accusing him of systematic Medicare fraud, including padding bills and performing unnecessary procedures. The U.S. Department of Justice’s civil division has joined in the whistleblowers' cases on behalf of Medicare and Medicaid taxpayers. (Gentry, 1/7)
