Tampa, FL-based Rose Radiology Centers will pay $8.7 million to the U.S. government to settle allegations that it violated standards of medical care and billed for radiology procedures that were never performed, according to a January 29 story in the Tampa Bay Times.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida said the settlement "resolves myriad allegations involving standards of medical care, false billing practices, and breaches of trust," regarding Rose Radiology Centers, which has about a dozen facilities in the Tampa area, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Two whistleblowers filed a lawsuit under the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. The whistleblowers in this case will share $1.7 million, according to the article.
The suit alleged that Rose Radiology billed improperly for radiology procedures referred to it by chiropractors, which Medicare does not reimburse. To get around this limitation, Rose Radiology accepted orders from chiropractors and then billed for them as if a physician employed by Rose had ordered the exams.
The suit also charged that Rose performed and billed for radiology procedures that were never ordered by the patients' treatment providers, giving kickbacks to physicians in return for their referrals.
