Florida Radiologist to Pay U.S. $7 Million to Resolve Fr...(provision ofcare and proper billing and ...),Health

The United States initiated the investigation in response to a whistleblower action under the False Claims Act brought by David Clayman, M.D., a former employee of one of the Steinberg group practices. Under the False Claims Act, private individuals can bring actions for fraud on behalf of the United States and collect a share of any proceeds recovered by the suit. As a result of today's settlement, the whistleblower will receive $1.75 million as his share of the recovery.

"Billing Medicare for tests that are either not medically necessary or not performed is an abuse of the Medicare program that squanders scarce dollars," said R. Alexander Acosta, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. "We will aggressively prosecute any physicians, including board-certified specialists, who abuse and steal from the Medicare system to line their own pockets."

The case was handled jointly by the Justice Department's Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, with investigative assistance provided by the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; the Office of Personnel and Management; and the U.S. Postal Service.

The case is entitled U.S. ex rel. David Clayman v. University MRI and Fred Steinberg, M.D. et al. Civil Action No. 02-81143 (S.D. Fla.).