The founder of an interventional radiology practice in Houston has agreed to pay $8.8 million to settle an anti-kickback violation case, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani in an August 20 statement.
According to the claim, beginning in 2015, Andrew Gomes, MD, allegedly offered physicians who invested in his clinics returns in dividends if they referred patients for treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Gomes' "pitch" reportedly also included telling the physicians that once the surgical centers were running and profitable, they could be sold for additional value.
PAD is typically described as a narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels in the lower legs. Surgeries such as arteriograms, angiograms, angioplasties, and atherectomies are performed to revascularize the lower limbs. These procedures are highly compensated, Hamdani noted.
“Medical providers and others who unlawfully accept kickbacks for patient referrals undermine the integrity of medical decision-making and waste taxpayer dollars,” added Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Office of Inspector General.
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the whistleblower provisions of the Federal False Claims Act. In this case, the whistleblower filed a complaint in late 2018, which triggered the investigation. The whistleblower will receive 19% of the recovery or about $1.7 million, the statement noted.
