Jason Dreyer, DO, will pay $1.17 million to settle allegations he performed medically unnecessary neurosurgery, the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin reported April 24.
Dr. Dreyer and Daniel Elskens, DO, were neurosurgeons at Walla Walla, Wash.-based Providence St. Mary Medical Center from 2013 to 2018. Dr. Dreyer and Dr. Elskens were both accused of performing unnecessary procedures.
According to a 2022 class action lawsuit, Dr. Dreyer operated on a woman but didn't recommend non-surgical options first. A series of spine surgeries in the following years allegedly led to permanent damage.
Renton-based Providence Health & Services Washington in 2022 agreed to pay $22.69 million to resolve allegations that it defrauded federal healthcare programs with the medically unnecessary cases.
Along with the settlement, Dr. Dreyer entered into an agreement with the HHS Office of Inspector General to be excluded from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal healthcare programs nationwide for at least nine years, the report said.