Doctor Pays $228,000 to Settle Urine Drug Test False Billing Charges

Case: The DOJ charged a Washington general practice doctor and sole owner of a family medicine clinic of billing Medicare and Medicaid for urine drug tests that he either performed too late to be useful or never performed at all. Rather than risk a trial, the doctor has agreed to pay $228,000 to settle the charges. Significance: Urine drug testing continues to be a priority for enforcement. The clinic in this case had a certified lab capable of performing urine drug tests to screen patients to determine their need for prescription medications and treatment for substance use disorder. During the seven months in which the doctor submitted false claims, the medical equipment for urine drug tests was broken and the samples were frozen for testing at a later date, according to the DOJ.