Thirteen physicians, one nurse practitioner and one medical practice executive from New Jersey have been charged in a scheme that involved cash kickbacks for patient referrals to an MRI practice, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
The 14 practitioners allegedly accepted monthly cash payments from Orange (N.J.) Community MRI in exchange for their referral of Medicare and Medicaid patients to OC MRI for tests. The payments allegedly began as early as 2010. Kickback payments were calculated based on how many payments each defendant allegedly referred to the center.
During a two-month period between early Oct. and early Dec. 2011, there were allegedly 32 separate payments made to or by the defendants, including OC MRI’s executive director, with total cash kickbacks of $51,500.
Each of the practitioners is charged with one count of violating the federal healthcare program anti-kickback statute by soliciting and receiving bribes, which carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Chirag Patel, OC MRI’s executive director, is charged with violating the same statute by offering and paying bribes, which carries the same maximum potential penalty.
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