Drive-by angiograms, fabricated chest pain symptoms and the death of an elderly woman allegedly coerced into having a stent procedure were the basis for a lawsuit filed by a contract cardiologist turned whistleblower in Michigan.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in eastern Michigan announced a $4 million
settlement last week with Jackson Cardiology Associates and Allegiance Health Hospital in Jackson, Mich., under the False Claims Act.
Dr. Julie Kovach, the original filer and former contract cardiologist for Jackson Cardiology Associates, is set to receive a percentage of the recovery – between 15% and 30%, according to the original court filings.
Kovach’s
original lawsuit (PDF) was kept under seal while federal agencies investigated the claims of inappropriate cardiology procedures. The government found that three-quarters of patients who underwent invasive catheterizations after Dr. Jashu Patel improperly read nuclear stress test results actually had no significant heart blockages.
Allegiance Health, Patel and Jackson Cardiology Associates said they disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and noted that the settlement decision was reached to devote resources to the care of their patients, according to an article on
MLive.com.
For tips on following national and local coverage determination requirements for coding cardiology procedures, turn to
Cardiology Coder’s Pink Sheet.