Florida

Florida Doctors Resolve False Claims Allegations

Two Florida doctors' practices have agreed to pay millions of dollars to the federal government to resolve allegations they billed federal programs for unnecessary tests or procedures.

Federal prosecutors said Friday that payments by Rose Radiology Centers in Tampa and Dr. David Spellberg in Fort Myers resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act.

Prosecutors say Rose Radiology Centers agreed to pay $8.7 million to resolve allegations that it performed radiology procedures that weren't ordered by patients' doctors and got kickbacks from referring physicians.

Spellberg agreed to pay about $1 million to resolve allegation his practice ordered unnecessary urine tests.

Both cases were brought to federal prosecutors' attention by whistleblowers.

The whistleblowers in the Rose case get $1.7 million, and the whistleblower in the Spellberg case gets almost $200,000.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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