PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Office has reached an agreement with Paul S. Koch, M.D., the former owner of a chain of Rhode Island ophthalmology practices that bear his name, to resolve civil allegations that Koch paid kickbacks to optometrists who referred patients to him and his practice for cataract surgeries, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The agreement, under which Dr. Koch will pay $1,166,072, resolves claims brought as part of a qui tam complaint filed in federal court in the District of Rhode Island by two whistleblowers.
“Patients should be able to feel secure that when their doctors make decisions that impact their health- whether about prescriptions, surgeries, or referrals- those decisions are based on sound medical judgment, and not illegal monetary incentives,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “When medical decision making is corrupted by kickbacks, at the expense of federal Medicare dollars, we will hold those responsible to account.”
“Kickback schemes undermine the integrity of medical decisions, subvert the health marketplace and waste taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Phillip M. Coyne of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to hold accountable those who refuse to play by the rules and provide illegal incentives to influence the decision making of health care providers.”
“Kickback schemes can undermine our healthcare system, compromise medical decisions, and...
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