HOUSTON – A 52-year-old pain management physician from Houston has paid $530,000 to resolve allegations he falsely billed Medicare for the use of electro-acupuncture devices, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
From March 1, 2019, to Oct. 31, 2019, Dr. Syed Nasir billed Medicare for the implantation of neurostimulator electrodes–a surgical procedure that usually requires use of an operating room. Medicare pays thousands of dollars for this procedure.
However, Nasir did not perform these surgeries. Instead, he applied a device used for electro-acupuncture. This procedure involves inserting needles into patients’ ears with the neurostimulator taped behind them with an adhesive.
Medicare does not reimburse for electro-acupuncture devices as implantable neurostimulators.
This is the second settlement of its kind involving electro-acupuncture billing the Southern District of Texas has resolved.
The Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services conducted the investigation with the assistance of Qlarant, the Unified Program Integrity Contractor for Medicare. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray handled the matter.
The claims resolved by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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| Component | USAO - Texas, Southern; |
| OIG | Department of Health and Human Services OIG |