QC dermatologist to pay $1.66M for fraud claim

A Quad-City dermatologist based in Bettendorf, will have to pay $1.66 million for a healthcare fraud claim. According to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa, Eastern Iowa Dermatology, PLC and Dr. Manish Kumar have agreed to pay $1.66 million to resolve allegations for violations of the False Claims

A Quad-City dermatologist based in Bettendorf, will have to pay $1.66 million for a healthcare fraud claim.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, Eastern Iowa Dermatology, PLC and Dr. Manish Kumar have agreed to pay $1.66 million to resolve allegations for violations of the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare for dermatology office visits and the destruction or removal of skin tags and lesions. The False Claims Act considers “up-coding,” the practice of exaggerating the amount or complexity of medical services rendered in order to achieve a higher level of reimbursement, a form of fraud.

“Health care providers that try to boost their profits by submitting fraudulent claims to Federal health care programs threaten the integrity of those programs and drive up prices for everyone,” Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said. “We work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of Federal health care programs and to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”

The resolutions in this matter were a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Dr. Kumar and Eastern Iowa Dermatology, PLC agreed to an integrity agreement and will undergo continued monitoring by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

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