James Ellner, MD, and his practice and ASC will pay $625,000 to resolve whistleblower allegations that they violated the False Claims Act.
Between May 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2019, Dr. Ellner and his Woodstock, Ga.-based pain management practice, Georgia Pain Management, and ASC, Samson Pain Center, allegedly submitted false claims to Medicare and TRICARE for services that were not reimbursable under federal healthcare programs, according to a May 30 Justice Department news release.
Dr. Ellner and Georgia Pain also allegedly entered into an arrangement that violated the Anti-Kickback Statute. According to the Justice Department, a reference laboratory allegedly paid the salary of someone who functioned as an employee of Georgia Pain in exchange for Ellner's referral of medically unnecessary urine drug tests.
The suit's whistleblower will receive $118,000 from the settlement, the release said.