Justice Department Documents & Publications
A Texas dermatopathology clinic has agreed to pay the United States more than $3.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent lab claims to TRICARE and by knowingly concealing an obligation to repay the United States, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Per the terms of a civil settlement executed on Friday, Dallas-based Cockerell Dermatopathology will pay $3,750,000 -- including $1,875,000 in restitution -- over the next 3 1/2 years. Its owner and principal physician, Dr. Clay Cockerell, will be liable if the clinic fails to make any of its payments.
"This defendant lined his pockets by committing fraud against TRICARE, a health insurance program for service members, veterans, and their families," said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. "The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will not stand by as medical providers bill medically irrelevant tests to federal health insurance programs."
"The Department of Defense (DoD), Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to identifying and neutralizing fraud schemes that not only waste valuable tax payer resources, but impact military readiness," said Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. "DCIS and our law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those individuals who defraud the DoD healthcare...
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