Atlanta: An Indian-origin doctor in the United States, Jitesh Patel, and his Atlanta-based facility, Advanced Urology, will pay $14 million to settle federal allegations of healthcare fraud involving unnecessary procedures on patients.
Allegations of billing fraud
According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the settlement resolves claims that the practice violated the False Claims Act and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act.
Authorities alleged that the facility billed Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federal healthcare programmes for procedures that were either not performed or were medically unnecessary.
The investigation began after lawsuits were filed by two whistleblowers — Lorraine Perumal-Szramel, a former employee, and Himanshu Aggarwal, a former doctor at the facility.
They alleged that the organisation was structured to maximise profits through systematic malpractices. Reports also claimed that invasive tests were conducted on nearly every new patient, with billing for surgeries that were never carried out.
‘Profit over patient care’
US Attorney Theodore S Hertzberg said, “Physicians commit fraud when they seek payment for medically unnecessary procedures or bill for services they never performed.”
Georgia Deputy Attorney General Jim Mooney added, “Fraud against the Medicaid program is stealing from Georgia taxpayers, plain and simple.”
FBI Special Agent Peter Ellis noted that the alleged scheme prioritised “profit over patient care.”
Settlement without admission
The $14 million settlement resolves civil allegations but does not include any admission of wrongdoing or formal determination of liability by Patel or his practice.
The probe involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, the US Department of Health and Human Services, US Attorney’s Office, Georgia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division, Defence Criminal Investigative Service and VA OIG.
The lawsuits did not specify whether the unnecessary procedures caused any health complications for patients.
Dr Patel is regarded as a prominent figure in his field and has received honours such as “Atlanta Top Doctor” and “Top 40 Under 40.” He completed his medical education at Temple University School of Medicine.