Indian-origin Doctor in US Agrees to Pay Over $1.8 Million to Resolve Malpractice Allegations

Indian-origin doctor in the US has agreed to pay over $1.8 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act. Aarti D. Pandya and her group – Pandya Practice Group were accused of recommending and performing unnecessary eye treatments and tests and charging them to the government.

Aarti D. Pandya, M.D. and Aarti D. Pandya, M.D. P.C. (“Pandya Practice Group”) was accused of violating the False Claims Act. They allegedly billed the government for cataract surgeries and diagnostic tests that were not medically necessary. They also performed tests that were incomplete or of no value and called patients for office visits that did not provide the claimed level of service.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said, “Physicians who perform procedures and tests without a legitimate medical need place profits ahead of patients and subject those patients to unnecessary risk. This settlement represents our office’s commitment to ensuring accountability for physicians who subject patients to unwarranted medical care and waste taxpayer funds.

The allegations go as far back as January 1, 2011, ending on December 31, 2016. During this period, Pandya knowingly submitted false claims to federal healthcare programs. She also performed procedures on patients who did not qualify for those procedures, in some cases causing injury to the patients. She has also been accused of falsely diagnosing glaucoma to coerce patients into getting unnecessary diagnostic testing and treatment which was then billed to Medicare.

Pandya and her group have agreed to pay $1,850,000 to resolve these allegations. The case was first brought to court in 2018 by a former employee of Pandya Practice Group named Laura Dildine under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA. Dildine will share in the recovery as she is allowed to sue for false claims on behalf of the United States.

A payment suspension was imposed by the HHS on Pandya Practice Group on October 23, 2019, after the government intervened. The suspension keeps the group from receiving any reimbursement from Medicare for Part B claims. As of now, the claims revolving around the settlement are allegations and have not been proved in court.

Vineet Washington