Federal prosecutors plan to sue a Tennessee state senator who previously owned a pain center accused of billing fraud, according to News Channel 3, a CBS affiliate.
Five things to know:
1. Tennessee state Sen. Steve Dickerson was an owner of Comprehensive Pain Specialists, a now-closed pain practice that allegedly submitted claims for unnecessary procedures and falsified documents, according to the report. The practice operated in 12 states.
2. Mr. Dickerson is one of many defendants expected in the lawsuit, which is based on whistleblower complaints from a physician who worked in the practice's Missouri- and Iowa-based clinics. The physician alleges CPS instructed her to increase full-panel drug screening volumes sent to a lab the practice owned instead of a cheaper option outside of the company.
3. The practice also allegedly violated Stark Law by providing lab revenue to CPS physician.
4. Four other CPS workers said they were asked to participate in forging signatures on documents for preauthoraizations and falsify patient records to promote service eligibility. They alleged the practice fired them when they questioned their instructions. Multiple other employees have said they were fired after questioning CPS practices.
5. The clinic closed in 2018 after its former CEO was indicted in a criminal case, according to the report.
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