Kansas Cardiologist settles False Claims Act charges, again

Joseph P. Galichia, M.D., a cardiologist practicing in Wichita, Kansas, has agreed to pay a substantial settlement to resolve allegations that the doctor and his group submitted false claims to Medicare between 2001 and 2006, thus violating the False Claims Act. The Justice Department maintains that the physician and his group submitted claims for services not provided and made claims without proper documentation.

In May 2000, Dr. Galichia and Galichia Medical Group agreed to another sizable settlement to resolve previous charges of False Claims Act violations. That time, the government alleged that from 1993 to 1998, Galichia had billed Medicare for a higher level of treatment than actually given, double-billed for the same services, and billed for treatment not performed.

As part of the new settlement, the government hopes to keep an eye on Galichia by way of an Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Integrity Agreement is designed to ensure future compliance with Medicare regulations and policies.

For the full story, see the Department of Justice’s Press Release.