Two New York eye practices have agreed to pay a combined $2.3 million after federal prosecutors accused them of using a third-party testing company to bill Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary transcranial Doppler ultrasounds. The allegations describe patients being labeled with serious diagnoses before their test results were available, turning what might sound like a routine billing dispute into a much larger healthcare-fraud investigation.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Friday that Mark D. Fromer, P.C., doing business as Fromer Eye Centers, and Floral Park Ophthalmology P.C. agreed to the settlements. Fromer Eye Centers and the estate of former owner Mark Fromer will pay $1.8 million, while Floral Park Ophthalmology will pay $500,000; New York is set to receive $384,000 for its share of Medicaid expenses, according to the Justice Department.
Federal officials alleged the practices performed the ultrasounds on thousands of patients and billed government health programs hundreds of dollars per test. As reported by WFTV, nearly all of the patients identified in the allegations lacked the qualifying diagnosis in their medical histories or ultrasound results.
The New York Settlements Follow Earlier Florida Cases
The New York agreements appear to be the latest public installment in a broader investigation focused on transcranial Doppler testing and alleged kickback arrangements. In January, the Justice Department announced that five Florida ophthalmology practices had agreed to pay nearly $6 million over similar allegations involving the same type of third-party testing setup, while also agreeing to cooperate with the continuing investigation.
The enforcement trail includes a $1.3 million settlement involving Brandon Eye Associates, which has offices in Brandon, Sun City and Plant City, according to the Justice Department. Hoodline previously reported that Pinellas Eye Care, doing business as Gulfcoast Eye Care, agreed to pay $615,000 over comparable allegations in May 2025.
What The Settlement Does And Does Not Mean
The case was filed under the False Claims Act's whistleblower, or qui tam, provisions. The whistleblower involved in the Fromer Eye Centers settlement is expected to receive approximately $132,000, and both New York practices agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department's investigation into other alleged participants, according to WFTV's account.
The settlements resolve allegations rather than establish criminal guilt or civil liability. The Justice Department said the investigation was handled through its Civil Division, the Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
