Tri-City Cardiology, P.C., a physician group in the Phoenix area, and three of its physicians have agreed to pay $4.75 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by performing medically unnecessary vein ablations, according to a March 12 announcement from federal authorities.
The case centers on claims that, between January 1, 2017, and April 27, 2022, Dr. Jaskamal Kahlon, Dr. Joshua D. Cohen, and Dr. M. Joshua Berkowitz knowingly performed ablations on perforator veins that did not meet accepted medical standards for treatment. Perforator veins connect deep and superficial leg veins and typically require intervention only under specific circumstances.
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said, “Physicians should not prioritize profit over patient needs. Medicare and other federal programs pay only for medical care that meets accepted standards, and the falsification of medical records undermines efforts to assess whether medical care was appropriate.”
United States Attorney for the District of Arizona Timothy Courchaine said, “Paying for unnecessary medical procedures reduces federal programs’ capacity to pay for truly necessary procedures. When medical providers do not respect the difference between the two and bill in the interest of their own bottom line instead of their patients, the United States Attorney’s Office has pursued and will continue to pursue appropriate recoveries to protect taxpayer funds.”
Federal officials allege Tri-City Cardiology and its physicians incorrectly measured or documented key clinical details such as blood flow duration, vein diameter, patient symptoms, and conservative therapy measures in order to justify these procedures as medically necessary.
The settlement resulted from a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch Fraud Section; the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona; and assistance from HHS-OIG. The government emphasized its ongoing commitment to combating healthcare fraud through tools like the False Claims Act.
Officials noted that tips about potential fraud can be reported directly to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
