The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Macon announced Monday that a $5 million settlement has been reached in a civil lawsuit against Dr. Mark A. Ellis and the Ellis Pain Center in Athens.

The settlement against Ellis, the clinic and the clinic’s practice manager Patsy Allen was reached on March 17. The clinic is located in Oconee County in the area of the Oconee Connector.

The defendants agreed to pay the $5 million to resolve allegations that they filed false claims to the Medicare program for urine drug tests that were not performed, urine tests that were not medically necessary and diagnostics tests not needed for the treatment of pain patients, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney.

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The civil suit was initiated by the Northern District during the opioid epidemic and joined by the Middle District in 2015.

“This office will continue to relentlessly pursue allegations of false billing for services not actually rendered to patients, particularly where opioids are involved,” Middle District U.S. Attorney Peter Leary said.

“We will not allow healthcare providers to engage in schemes designed to enrich themselves and deplete the funds intended for the government’s federal health care program,” Northern District U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan added.

The government alleged that Ellis, Allen and the...

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