Cardiologist and vascular surgeon Mubashar Choudry, MD, and three medical practices will pay $750,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations, the Department of Justice announced April 17.
Dr. Choudry and the practices with which he's associated — Washington Cardiovascular Institute in Takoma Park, Md., Advanced Vascular Resources in Rockville, Md., and Washington Vascular Institute in Takoma Park — were accused of billing Medicare and Tricare for claims in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2016, they allegedly paid kickbacks to physicians who referred patients for ankle-brachial index testing, which is used to detect peripheral arterial disease. They did not collect fair market value for the tests from referring physicians.
A former sales and operations employee of the practices filed the suit under the False Claims Act's whistleblower provisions. The former employee, Steven Pringle, will receive $121,500 of the settlement.
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