Nine specialists from Oklahoma City-based Southwest Orthopaedics agreed to pay $670,000 to settle civil claims stemming from allegations they submitted false claims to Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare, NewsOK reported.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Nine physician owners of Southwest Orthopaedic were accused of submitting false claims to CMS and Tricare, allegedly billing for unnecessary medical procedures including ultrasound guidance for needle placement, imaging supervision and interpretation.
2. Brian Levings, DO, and Southwest Orthopaedics were accused of submitting to false claims for a surgical assistant who did not perform billed services from 2013 through 2015.
3. The group agreed to pay a $670,000 settlement to resolve the claims, and the state of Oklahoma will receive a portion of the payment.
4. Southwest Orthopaedics and the defendants did not admit liability, and other claims continue to be litigated.