Since early January, Becker's Spine Review has reported on three lawsuits involving alleged kickback schemes in spine and orthopedics:
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an anti-kickback case against former Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health spine surgeon Wilson Asfora, MD. Dr. Asfora's lawyers contend that the surgeon did not violate anti-kickback laws when he used implants from two companies he owned.
A Colorado neurosurgeon and multiple distributorships paid millions to resolve anti-kickback and False Claims Act violation allegations, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office District of Colorado.
Milwaukee-based Agnesian HealthCare and its physician group will pay $10 million to settle a whistleblower suit brought by orthopedic surgeon Clark Searle, MD, who alleged the health system paid kickbacks and other financial incentives for patient referrals.