ATLANTA – James Ellner, M.D., and his Woodstock, Georgia pain management practice, Georgia Pain Management, P.C., and ambulatory surgical center, Samson Pain Center, P.C, agreed to pay $625,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting improper claims to the Medicare and TRICARE programs for evaluation and management services and medically unnecessary urine drug screening tests.

“The federal government expects that physicians and their practices will properly bill Medicare and TRICARE for services they provide,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.  “The Department of Justice will work diligently to hold healthcare providers accountable when they break the rules and overbill federal healthcare programs.”

“Health care fraud abuse like this case erodes the trust patients have in the health care system,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Government subsidized programs like Medicare help protect the healthcare needs of deserving Americans and the FBI is determined to work with our partners to prevent people from illegally profiting off of them.”

“When providers submit improper claims, they threaten the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs and take those valuable resources away from their intended recipients,” said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting federal health care programs from fraudulent and wasteful practices at the hands of providers.”  Read More from Source