NEWS BRIEF: Georgia medical centers busted for kickback schemes
Count backwards … for kickbacks
Photo credit: CL File
Owners and administrators of three anesthesia providers and several outpatient surgery centers in Georgia have been fined $28 million for paying or receiving kickbacks to obtain taxpayer-funded healthcare payments. The scheme involved paying for medications, supplies, equipment, and free labor in exchange for patient referrals. “If an anesthesia provider can secure an exclusive contract for anesthesia services with a center, it is guaranteed a steady stream of patient referrals during the term of the contract,” a Justice Department press release stated. “As a result, anesthesia providers compete aggressively for these contracts.” justice.gov