agrees to pay up to $22 million
Healogics has agreed to pay up to $22 million to settle allegations that it knowingly billed Medicare for medically unnecessary therapies, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
The Jacksonville-based company manages the hyperbaric oxygen therapy centers at more than 700 hospital-based wound care facilities across the country and is one of the largest in the nation. The company has several centers in Central Florida.
According to the Justice Department, between 2010 and 2015 Healogics knowingly caused wound care centers to bill Medicare for hyperbaric oxygen therapies that were medically unnecessary and unreasonable.
The allegations stem from two whistleblower lawsuits, one filed by a former director for research and quality at Healogics and another filed by several doctors and employees at Healogics-affiliated wound care centers.
“Medicare beneficiaries are entitled to care based on their clinical needs and not the financial goals of healthcare providers,” said Chad Readler, the Justice Department’s … read full article