Kwadwo Gyarteng-Dakwa, MD, and his Greensboro, N.C.-based pain practice agreed to pay half a million dollars to settle allegations he wrongly billed Medicare and Medicaid, according to a May 26 announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Middle District of North Carolina.
Four notes:
1. Dr. Dakwa was accused of billing Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary diagnostic nerve condition studies between January 2011 and October 2016.
2. The tests were performed at Dr. Dakwa's HEAG Pain Management Center before he examined the patients, so they weren't tailored to individual treatment as required by CMS.
3. The practice also allegedly allowed unqualified staff to perform the studies instead of physicians.
4. Dr. Dakwa will pay $500,000 to resolve the allegations.