The Department of Justice announced Thursday that two pain management clinics in northern Virginia have agreed to pay approximately $3.3 million to settle Medicare fraud allegation brought by a qui tam whistleblower.

The settlement resolves allegations that National Spine and Pain Centers (NSPC), and Physical Medicine Associates (PMA) fraudulently billed Medicare and other federal healthcare providers. The programs charged for physician services that were delivered by nurse practitioners. The case also involved the ordering medically unnecessary urine drug tests. The whistleblower was former PMA physician assistant.

The case follows news of whistleblower lawsuits moving forward against a Tennessee-based chain of pain clinics for a similar scheme.
Continue Reading Doctors and PA blow the whistle over sham urine tests at pain clinics