Pain Clinic Operator Gets Permanent Exclusion for Billing Medically Unnecessary Tests

Case: One of the beneficiaries of the pardon spree initiated by President Trump during his final days in office was the former CEO of now defunct Comprehensive Pain Services (CPS) convicted for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for over $4 million in medically unnecessary tests. But while he won’t have to spend the sentenced 42 months in prison, the CEO still faces civil charges. To settle those charges, he has agreed to a permanent voluntary exclusion from not only federal procurement programs. Significance: The settlement is even harsher when you consider that in addition to exclusion, the 43-year-old CEO also promised not to seek or accept employment in any industry or field in which he could, either directly or indirectly, submit claims seeking reimbursement from Medicare or other federal health care programs. The DOJ has also reached settlements with CPS, its owners and a former manager. At its height, Tennessee-based CPS operated 40 pain clinics in 12 different states.