A Sugar Land neurosurgeon has agreed to pay upwards of $2 million to settle allegations that he submitted false claims to Medicare, as announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Dr. Rajesh Bindal, associated with the Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center P.A., was accused of billing for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes—a procedure that typically requires an operating room and therefore commands a significant reimbursement.
However, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, between March 16, 2021, and April 22, 2022, Dr. Bindal had not performed these invasive surgeries. The supposed procedures were nothing more than the placement of electro-acupuncture devices which merely involved inserting a wire a few millimeters into the ear and securing it behind with an adhesive—far from the complex surgeries reported in the claims.
"Dr. Bindal not only submitted false claims to Medicare but also deceived our most vulnerable population," said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG), according to a press release. Meadows highlighted the damage to public trust and stressed the importance of protecting federal health care programs, reiterating that accountability in the health care sector remains a key priority for these oversight bodies.
The investigation, which was taken up by the DHHS-OIG and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM-OIG,) found that these procedures usually did not take place in a suitable medical facility and that in some instances, a device sales representative or a physician assistant improperly performed the placements. Derek M. Holt, Special Agent in Charge of OPM-OIG, asserted, "False claims come at a cost not only to our federal health care programs but also to the members who rely on these programs for necessary care," in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Holt supported the joint efforts of law enforcement partners to protect federal health care program's integrity as well as the safety of federal employees and their families.
