Texas Pain Management Physician Arrested Based on Federal Health Care Fraud Indictment

According to a press release of the Department of Justice dated June 14, 2010, a Texas management physician, Dr Anthony Francis Valdez, was arrested and stands charged with carrying out an estimated $41 million fraudulent health care benefit program billing scheme. Valdez is the owner of the Institute of Pain Management with clinics in El Paso and San Antonio.

The 99-count indictment alleges that beginning in 2001 and continuing to 2009, Valdez caused fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission (TWCC). If convicted, Dr. Valdez faces up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud, mail fraud and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, 10 years for health care fraud and 5 years for making false statements, all of which would be served in federal prison.

The area of pain management continues to be the subject of increased scrutiny. Pain physicians are well advised to pay careful attention to compliance as we predict an increase in Medicare, RAC and other payor audits of this specialty
For more information on compliance or other healthcare law matters , feel free to contact Abby Pendleton, Esq., Carey F. Kalmowitz, Esq. or Jessica Gustafson, Esq. of The Health Law Partners at (248) 996-8510 or (212) 734-0128.