PL AYback
DATELINE: 01.09.12
U.S. FILES $150MM SUIT AGAINST
MEDICAL IMAGING COMPANY
The government filed suit seeking $150 million in damages and penalties under the False Claims Act against Universal Imaging and its current and former owners, Phillip;J.;Young
and Mark;Lauhoff, announced U.S.;Attorney;Barbara;L.;McQuade. The
complaint alleged that Universal and the owners, who are not medical
professionals, conducted a medical radiology business in violation
of numerous Medicare rules relating to adequate supervision of diagnostic tests and generated 90% or more of their business by paying
kickbacks to physicians. Also named in the complaint is Gwendolyn
Washington, a primary care physician, who received kickbacks for
referrals from Universal and, as a result, ordered dangerously high
levels of tests involving injection of radioactive material into patients.
