Doctor Must Pay|Uncle Sam $820,000

ST. LOUIS (CN) - A doctor, his wife and their pain management clinic will pay $820,000 to settle a federal complaint of filing false Medicare claims. Abdul Naushad and the Advanced Pain Centers clinics agreed to the civil settlement to resolve claims against his billing company, Ultimate Practice Solutions, which is owned by Azeem Meo of Carmel, Ind.

Naushad's wife, Wajiha Naushad, was also a defendant in the case.

Prosecutors say the defendants submitted false claims to Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and TRICARE for spinal decompression services. The claims were made for use of a DRX-9000 machine that is considered experimental and was not covered under health care plans.

The defendants will not be able to participate in federal health care programs for 5 years under the settlement. The agreement dismisses whistleblower complaints from Annetta Schwader and Amanda Richards, two former Advanced Pain Centers employees, who will share $131,200 from the settlement.

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