G2 News-At-A-Glance: Doc Admits to Kickbacks

Padma Siripurapu, M.D., of Belle Mead, N.J., has admitted to receiving cash kickbacks for patient referrals. According to prosecutors, between from 2009 and 2011 Siripurapu had an arrangement with Orange Community MRI LLC (Orange MRI) that it would pay her a set amount of cash for every MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, echocardiogram, and DEXA scan she referred. During that period she referred thousands of patients for these tests. The investigation revealed that she received $3,600 in cash from a government informant as payment for some of those referrals. On Nov. 17, 2011, Siripurapu received another kickback for patient referrals, this time in the amount of $3,450 in cash. She was not alone. Siripurapu is the 12th person pleading guilty in the government’s investigation of Orange MRI. The penalty associated with a violation of the anti-kickback statute is a maximum of five years in prison and a minimum $250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss caused by the offense. This is just another reminder that when it comes to investigating fraud and abuse in Medicare, agents use all of the tools in their box including acting as patients or other providers.