Settlements were reached in four spine-related federal cases and a patient lawsuit in May.
1. Arik Mizrachi, MD, who was accused of failing to make a timely diagnosis of a patient's spine growth, settled a lawsuit for $2 million.
2. CHI Franciscan Health, St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., and former orthopedic surgeon Kevin Schoenfelder, MD, settled with the U.S. Justice Department over alleged unnecessary spine surgeries.
3. Spine device manufacturer Innovasis and two of its senior executives agreed to pay $12 million to resolve false claim act allegations. Between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2022, the company was accused of providing payments to 17 orthopedic and neurosurgeons to use Innovasis spinal implants, devices and other equipment in medical procedures the physicians performed on Medicare beneficiaries.
4. Tony Tannoury, MD, admitted to soliciting and taking kickbacks from DePuy Synthes and will pay $200,000 to resolve allegations he violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act. The settlement agreement said Dr. Tannoury admits, acknowledges and accepts responsibility for the allegations that he received DePuy products for overseas surgeries.