Indian-Origin US Doctor To Pay $2 Million Over Fraudulent Billing For Fake Surgeries
A 63-year-old Indian-origin doctor has agreed to pay over $2 million to resolve allegations that he submitted false claims to federally funded health care programs for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes, according to US Attorney Nicholas J Ganjei.
As per an official statement by the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Texas, Dr Ajay Aggarwal, an anesthesiologist and pain medicine doctor who also practices in Texas' Bellaire city, Lake Jackson city and Van Vleck (in Matagorda County), used to conduct his medical practice known as The Pain Relief & Wellness Centre.
From November 16, 2021, to March 28, 2023, Aggarwal billed federally funded health care programmes, such as Medicare and the Department of Labour's Workers' Compensation Programmes, for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. As these are invasive procedures that require use of an operating room, Medicare and other federally funded health care programmes pay thousands of dollars per procedure.
However, it was later found that neither Aggarwal nor his staff performed these surgical procedures. Authorities alleged that patients only received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involved inserting monofilament wire a few millimetres into patients' ears and taping the neurostimulator behind the ear with an adhesive.
As per the allegations, all device placements took place in Aggarwal's clinic, not a hospital or surgical centre, and no incision was made on a patient. 'A doctor who uses simple medical devices on his patients, yet bills Medicare for a sophisticated spinal surgery, is bilking the American taxpayer, plain and simple," said US Attorney Ganjei.
As a result, Aggarwal was fined $2 million for billing fraud. 'The Southern District of Texas will ensure that losses to federally funded healthcare programs from fraudulent billing, like what happened here, are recouped and that wrongdoers are held accountable," Ganjei added.
An Indian-origin physician admitted guilt last month to federal charges involving the unlawful prescription of powerful opioid medications, which led to the fatal overdoses of two individuals. Sentencing in the case is scheduled for October 31.
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