A Case of Medical Fraud

This apparently was filled as part of a "whistle-blower" suit:"

Orthopedic surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital repeatedly kept patients waiting under anesthesia longer — sometimes more than an hour longer — than was medically necessary or safe, as they juggled two or even three simultaneous operations, according to a federal lawsuit that alleges frequent billing fraud at the prestigious hospital.

Dr. Lisa Wollman, a former anesthesiologist at Mass. General, alleges in the lawsuit that at least five surgeons endangered patients by regularly performing simultaneous surgeries. Wollman charges that the doctors also defrauded the government by submitting bills for surgeries in which they were not in the operating room for critical portions of procedures, leaving the work to unsupervised trainees.

Wollman’s attorney said it was premature to talk about the damages if Mass. General is found to have improperly billed Medicaid and Medicare, but the costs could be considerable. The law calls for treble damages and Mass. General could face an additional penalty of at least $5,000 for each instance of improper billing. If Wollman prevails, she could potentially receive 25 percent to 30 percent of any money recovered under the False Claims Act. (from the Boston Globe)

This could be very interesting. Simultaneous procedures are common in surgery as various parts of a surgery are often done by specific individuals who move from case to case. And the whistle-blower as a "former" employee only makes it more provocative.