Imaging provider ordered to pay $16.2M for Medicare fraud
Imaging provider Orthopaedic and Neuro Imaging (ONI) has been ordered to pay $16.2 million for submitting false claims for Medicare reimbursement. ONI’s owner, Richard Pfarr, is liable for more than $6 million.
ONI operates imaging facilities in Delaware and Maryland. According to the ruling, Pfarr submitted false claims to Medicare by administrating contrast dye during MR exams without proper supervision.
Robin White, a former employee of ONI, filed the original lawsuit and will receive an 18-percent share of the recovered funds.
“This case exemplifies the utility of the False Claims Act to deter fraudulent conduct, protect patient safety and save taxpayer dollars,” David C. Weiss, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware, said in a statement.
Gordon B. Johnson, special agent on charge of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, said in the same statement that he and his team “will continue to work tirelessly to prevent these programs from becoming targets and fight fraud wherever we find it.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and FBI were all involved in the investigation.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.