Readmore: Local, News, Health Care, Health Care Fraud, Health Care Fraud Claims Settled in Court, Primary Medical in Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest Family Medicine, And Rivertown Primary Medical, Dr. James Vest <\/p>\n
United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced Friday that the United States Attorney's Office settled claims of health care fraud with Dr. James Vest and his clinics. <\/p>\n
Those clinics are Primary Medical in Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest Family Medicine, and Rivertown Primary Medical in Conway. <\/p>\n
Prosecutors contended that Dr. Vest's practices submitted claims to Medicare and TRICARE for services that were provided by mid-level providers, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, as though the services were provided by Dr. Vest himself. <\/p>\n
Both Medicare and TRICARE pay 85% of the physician fee schedules for services provided by mid-level providers. <\/p>\n
The investigation began with the filing of a whistleblower lawsuit called a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act. <\/p>\n
The suit was filed by one of the nurse practitioners who worked in Dr. Vest's practices. <\/p>\n
The False Claims Act allows individuals to file lawsuits with allegations that fraud has been committed against the federal government on behalf of the government. <\/p>\n
Whistleblowers, referred to as Relators under the False Claims Act, are entitled to share in any recovery received by the government. In this case, Ms. Carey will receive 20% of the funds of the settlement or $65,000 plus her attorney fees. <\/p>\n
\"Health care fraud remains a high priority in this office. When a claim is submitted that misrepresents the service provided or who provides the services, it is false and we will make the case a priority,\" Judge Nettles said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The rest is here: <\/p>\n
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