A whistleblower lawsuit resulted in Baldwin Bone & Joint, P.C., an orthopedic surgery and physical therapy practice in Daphne, paying a settlement of $1.2 million.
The $1.2 million settlement resolved an allegation that the practice billed Medicare and TRICARE for services that were performed by unauthorized providers, athletic trainers or excercise physiologists -- an illegal practice. The settlement also addresses allegations that the BB&J violated the Physician Self-Referral Law which prohibits referrals of Medicaid and Medicare patients to general providers. The business did not respond to request for comment immediately.
“This settlement illustrates the United States Attorney’s Office’s commitment to investigate allegations of fraud and abuse of the Medicare and TRICARE programs,” said U.S. Attorney Richard W. Moore. “False claims against these taxpayer-funded programs harm the entire health care system, as does the improper compensation of physicians to incentivize potentially unnecessary care.”
The lawsuit was filed by a former employee of the practice, John Seddon, and he will walk away with $200,000. The claims were resolved by the settlement, so no determination of liability was made. BB&J just opened a new location in Foley, according to their website. The business currently has four locations.