Tareen Dermatology agrees to pay $1.6M over false claims to Medicare
By 
Adrianne Appel2024-07-01T21:14:00
A Minnesota dermatology practice, its owner, and chief executive agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle allegations, first brought by two whistleblowers, that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statue by making false claims to Medicare.
Tareen Dermatology (TD), dermatologist and owner Mohiba Tareen, and CEO Basir Tareen, also settled charges of wrongful termination and retaliation against one of the whistleblowers who served as a billing specialist, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and state of Minnesota alleged in a complaint.
The case resolves claims brought under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Carrie Cremin, TD’s former director of laser therapy, and Susanne Polzin, its former billing specialist. The pair will receive an undisclosed amount of the settlement total, the DOJ announced in a press release Friday.
Related articles
-
News BriefDOJ targets $14.6B in health care fraud with focus on transnational crime
Emerging enforcement priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice’s health care fraud division align with the Trump administration’s emphasis on prosecuting transnational criminal organizations and ending opioid trafficking.
-
News BriefDOJ orders DaVita to pay $34M over alleged dialysis center kickback scheme
DaVita, a multi-state dialysis provider, agreed to pay more than $34 million to resolve allegations it engaged in numerous kickback schemes to doctors who referred Medicare patients to its dialysis centers, the Department of Justice announced.
-
News BriefKindred hospice agrees to pay $19M in multi-state DOJ false claims case
A multi-state hospice home health provider agreed to pay $19.4 million to settle allegations that it paid kickbacks and knowingly billed federal health programs to treat non-terminally ill patients.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
ArticleDOJ dismisses indictment against Cassava advisor amid legal flaws
The DOJ dropped a June 2024 indictment against a Cassava Sciences advisor, closing a case tied to an alleged short-selling scheme and related government probes. The case was criticized for fundamental flaws in evidence and legal procedures.
-
ArticleFormer Capula CCO alleges misconduct and retaliation at the hedge fund firm
The former U.S. chief compliance officer of hedge fund firm Capula Investment Management has blown the whistle against his former employer, alleging he was terminated for raising concerns about improper expensing practices.
-
ArticleFINRA fines First Trust $10M for allegedly giving too-generous gifts to brokers
First Trust Portfolios has been fined $10 million by FINRA for allegedly providing excessive meals, gifts, and other incentives to broker-dealers.