Two Massachusetts clinics and their physician founder have agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of fraudulently billing government health insurance programs for services never performed, the Justice Department said in a May 19 news release.
Nova Psychiatric Services, Patriot Eldercare and psychiatrist Alexandra Accardi, MD, admitted that between January 2017 and May 2023, the clinics’ COO, Miguel Saravia, directed independent contractors to alter claims before submission to Medicare, Medicaid and the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission by adding billing codes for psychotherapy and medication management services that clinicians had not performed. Employees repeatedly raised concerns about the billing practices to Dr. Accardi and Mr. Saravia, but no changes were made.
Mr. Saravia was charged in September 2024, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in March 2025 to 3.5 months in prison and ordered to pay $561,141 in restitution. The civil settlement was initiated through a whistleblower complaint, with the relators set to receive 17.5% of the settlement amount.
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