Paul B. Tartell, an ENT physician practicing in Plantation, Florida and his practice Paul B. Tartell, M.D., P.L., have agreed to pay $750,000 to settle allegations that he billed for procedures that were never provided or weren't medically necessary, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former patient, Theodore Duay. He will receive $135,000 for his share of the recovery.
According to the DOJ, Duay alleged Tartell regularly performed diagnostic endoscopies on patients but billed them as more expensive and intrusive surgical debridements, which are "specialized procedures often performed following sinus surgery involving the transnasal insertion of an endoscope and parallel insertion of various instruments to remove postsurgical crusting, bone or tissue deposits."
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The procedure is also used to remove crusts and debris in patients with a history of chronic sinusitis and past surgeries, the DOJ said.
Additional allegations stated that Tartell billed government programs, including Medicare and the Federal Employment Health Benefits Program, for claims stemming from other procedures that were not performed or weren't medically necessary.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn