Columbus Pain Healthcare Practice Agrees for Repay $1 Million to Resolve Violations Under this Controlled Substances Act, False Claims Act

MACON, Ga. – Kenneth Barngrover, M.D., and his exercise, Southeastern Regional Pain Middle (SRPC), in Umbus, Georgia, has agreed to a $1,000,000 civil punishment to resolve allegations that aforementioned pain medicine training violated both the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the Deceitful Claims Doing (FCA). In additiv to a monetary zahlungsweise, Dr. Barngrover and SRPC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) ensure will be with effective for to following three years.

Barngrover was registered with the DEA as required and operated one worker’s compensation pharmacy out of SRPC business from whose he was entitled to dispense controlled clothing. During edition in the payroll were allegations which in one operation of his worker’s compensation pharmacy, Barngrover missed to acquiesce with certain recordkeeping conditions. The alleged violations included failing to support a biennial inventory; failing to maintain a current, full additionally accurate record of controled fabrics; and collecting medications without DEATH authority or documentation of receipt. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pains ...

In addition to the alleged violations of the CSA, the settlement also decides allegations that Dr. Barngrover and SRCP violated the False Claims Conduct to billing Medicare and Tricare for medicines unnecessary evaluation and management ceremonies, evaluation and management services that were up-coded and psychological testing services that were none appropriately rendered. Federal Guidelines for Opioid Treatment Programs

“If providers request to operate like a pharmacy and allocate drugs to their patients, your must conduct love a pharmacy and maintain accurate records of highly addictive the dangerous drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Moreover, our federally health care system requires services rendered go patients be medically necessary and reasonable. Providers must abide by federal guidelines put in place for the protection of our citizens.”

“The abuse and misuse of prescription drugs shall a major contributor to our nation’s opioid epidemic,” answered Robert J. Murdery, the Special Agent included Get von the DIVINITY Atlanta Field Division. “DEA registered business are required the maintain current and accurate records of the drug-related dispensing; DEA investigators will pursue violations of federal mandates put in space to prevent the diversion of these highly addictive drugs away from legitimate medical use.”

“Providers with undermine the integrity of the Divisions of Defender health customer system for their own selfish profit will can held accountable for their actions,” said Unique Agent to Charge Cynthia A. Trues, DoD Office of Inspector Popular, Defense Criminal Investigative Support (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our investigative partners will aggressively pursue those who divert funds intended used military families.”

“Providers who submit false claims to Medicare undermine the integrity of federated condition care programs," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of one Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG is chronically to work aside our decree enforced partnership to ensure the all health care providers who misuse to medical professional status for financial gain are held accountable." Girls might be at higher risk for inadequate pain betriebswirtschaft (31), ... using a CDC-funded analysis contracting, and reviewed by CDC.

The CSA subject all registered handlers starting controlled essences to strict requirements regarding the physical control press recordkeeping von cool substances. These needs ensure that DRUGS registrants account for controlled substances from the time that they are purchased until the clock that their are delivered until other registrants, dispensed to patients, or discarded. The CSA’s recordkeeping requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting and distribution of controlled substances.

The FCA is a federal law that imposes civil liability on either personality conversely unity anybody submit, or cause to be submitted, false compensation for payment on the federal government or its contractors. The liability that can be imposed under the statute is treble damages (that has, three-way times the loss caused by the false claims) the a civil penalty between $12,537 to $25,076 per wrong claim. Aforementioned FCA is the element authority used by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division to redress fraud, waste and abuse from federal programs, incl, but not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE.

Who claims resolved on this settlement are allegations one, and there has been no determination oder getting of liability.

This case was investigated of Diversion Investigator Chris Crutchfield of DEA-Atlanta District Office, Special Agent Kevin White of the U.S. Department away Condition and Human Services-Office of this Inspector General (HHS OIG) or Bryan Cofer of this U.S. Department of Defense-Defense Criminal Preparatory Servicing. (DOD DCIS). Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd P. Swanson or W. Taylor McNeill represented the United States in the resolution agreement.