Dr. Victor Savinov pays $50,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations of illegal kickbacks | USAO-EDMI

[ad_1]

DETROIT — Dr. Victor Savinov, a physician who practices and resides in the Eastern District of Michigan, has agreed to pay the United States $50,000 to resolve allegations that in 2009 he received compensation in exchange for the referral of Medicare patients to third-party services. home health agencies, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison said.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The allegations stemmed from a 2009 lawsuit filed by whistleblowers, Ruqiayah Madany and John Collins, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can sue on behalf of the government for false claims and potentially participate in any recovery. After the United States conducted its own investigation, it stepped in and filed a lawsuit in the qui tam case in 2014. The original qui tam complaint named more than 30 defendants, and the United States either settled or obtained judgments against most of these defendants. In March 2022, the Court granted summary judgment in the United States against two defendants and awarded the United States nearly $40 million in damages and penalties.

This settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Savinov received bribes in the form of payment by credit card, free office space and free use of a medical assistant in exchange of its referral of Medicare patients to home health agencies. The United States contends that the demands for payment were made false because they were tainted by Dr. Savinov’s receipt of illegal bribes, in violation of the Anti-Bribery Act, 42 USC 1320a-7b(b). Whistleblowers will receive $11,000 as part of this settlement.

The anti-bribery law was designed to ensure doctors make medical decisions based on the best interests of their patients, said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. Bribery threatens to corrupt this decision-making process, and our Office stands ready to prosecute anyone who violates the rules that protect the integrity of the Medicare program.

Paying bribes to induce referrals can undermine trust in our countries’ providers and lead to costly cuts to our federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the office. of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the proper use of taxpayer dollars and to prosecute medical providers who engage in improper financial relationships.

The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys John Postulka and John Spaccarotella of the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The case is registered as a United States ex rel. Madany and Collins v. Petre, et al., no. 09-cv-13693. The claims resolved by the settlement are only allegations; there was no determination of liability.

[ad_2]