Springbok Health Inc., a medical clinic with locations in Colorado Springs and Pueblo West, Colorado, and Mark Jankelow, Springbok’s owner and Chief Executive Officer, have agreed to pay at least $125,000, and up to as much as $335,494, to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare and Medicaid for high-complexity and prolonged medical evaluation and management services when such services were not rendered.
Between 2017 and 2019, Springbok and Jankelow allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for expensive medical evaluation and management services when, at most, less expensive counseling services were provided. The resolution is based on Springbok’s and Jankelow’s ability to pay.
“Billing Medicare and Medicaid for more expensive services than were actually rendered depletes the limited resources of these vital health care programs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will continue to safeguard taxpayer dollars and hold accountable those who knowingly misuse such funds.”
“Providing substance abuse treatment is a vital tool in combating the opioid epidemic devastating Colorado communities,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado. “But offering treatment to addicts does not excuse fraud. Our office will continue to pursue claims against providers whose fraudulent billing practices take valuable resources away from victims of the opioid...
A front-page article with the byline of veteran New York Times opinion writer Nicholas Kristof is the latest poisonous example of what I call the NGO “halo effect.” Headlined “The Silence That Mee...