Tampa, Fla.-based pain management physician Edward Lubin, MD, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations he submitted medically unnecessary claims for fentanyl prescriptions in exchange for kickback payments.
Dr. Lubin allegedly accepted around $159,580 in kickback payments from fentanyl-spray manufacturer Insys in return for prescribing their products, according to an Oct. 27 news release from the U.S. Justice Department.
The report alleges the kickbacks were disguised as payment for speaking at sham events that lasted a few minutes, often never occurred, or were given to repeat attendees. Dr. Lubin allegedly caused more than 400 false claims submitted to Medicare and Tricare programs, which paid more than $4 million for these claims.
In 2019, Insys pleaded guilty to five counts of mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud patients and payers. In its prosecution agreement, it admitted that bribes were made to induce prescriptions. At least 15 physicians have since been criminally convicted for their role in the scheme.