ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta doctor and an arthritis and rheumatology center have agreed to pay $2.18 million to settle allegations their treatments and claims violated law.
The investigation into Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, P.C. and its owner, Jatin Patel, began when a former employee filed a whistleblower complaint alleging the center used unlicensed medical assistants to infuse patients with powerful chemotherapy chemicals. Using unlicensed medical assistants for this task would be a violation of Georgia law.
Medicare doesn’t pay for services given in violation of state law. Therefore, claims submitted for the services were in violation of the False Claims Act, according to the allegations.
Despite the settlement, there has been no determination of liability in the case, said Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by the whistleblower in U.S. District Court. Phillips Allender, the former employee, will get $414,200 in the settlement.
“Physicians who disregard state and federal law by allowing unqualified individuals to perform unauthorized medical services place patients in needless danger,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will hold accountable those who participate in federal healthcare programs but seek to enrich themselves by not following the rules.”
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