A 53-year-old Indian-origin neurosurgeon, Dr Rajesh Bindal, has been fined Rs 17.39 crore for committing Medicare fraud by falsely claiming to perform surgeries involving the implantation of electro-acupuncture devices.
Dr Bindal, who worked at the Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center, submitted fraudulent bills to Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) from March 16, 2021, to April 22, 2022, for neurostimulator electrode implants. The fine in US Dollars is 20,95,946.
These procedures are typically invasive and require an operating room, leading to significant payments from Medicare and FEHBP for each claim. However, investigations revealed that neither Dr Bindal nor his staff performed the surgeries as claimed, according to reports.
US Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said, “A neurosurgeon, like Bindal, should know when he is and is not performing surgery.”
Despite the high earnings of neurosurgeons in the United States, Bindal allegedly filed false claims to enrich himself, reports said. Hamdani stressed the importance of accurate billing to preserve public trust in the healthcare system, warning that those who breach that trust would be held accountable.
Jason Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, condemned Bindal’s actions, noting that the fraud wasted taxpayer money and eroded trust in Medicare and healthcare providers.
“Dr Bindal’s actions deceived the system and took advantage of vulnerable patients,” Meadows added.
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