Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States has settled civil healthcare fraud claims against VASCULAR ACCESS CENTERS, L.P., and related entities (collectively, “VAC”), for their submission of fraudulent claims for reimbursement by Medicare for vascular surgical procedures not covered under Medicare.
According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, VAC was found to have submitted false claims to Medicare for vascular surgical procedures, including fistulagrams and percutaneous transluminal angioplasties, which were not reimbursable unless the patient had specific and documented clinical problems.
The investigation revealed that VAC scheduled patients for these procedures as a matter of routine, regardless of whether there was a justifiable clinical reason to do so. Additionally, VAC misrepresented the medical conditions of patients in its medical records to make it seem as if they suffered from symptoms that would warrant the procedures.
As part of today’s settlement, VAC admitted that its centers regularly performed, and billed Medicare for, vascular surgery procedures as a prophylactic or screening measure, even though the patients presented without any documented evidence that they exhibited a need for therapies.
VAC agreed to pay at least $3.825 million and up to $18.3 million to resolve its False Claims Act liabilities. The settlement was approved on October 19, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
VASCULAR ACCESS CENTERS, L.P. and related entities are located in Manhattan, New York.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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