PHOENIX (KVOA) - Tri-City Cardiology, P.C., a Phoenix-based physician group, and three individual doctors agreed to pay $4.75 million to address allegations of performing unnecessary medical procedures. The allegations involve medically unnecessary vein ablations, which are procedures that should only be performed under specific medical standards.
From January 1, 2017, to April 27, 2022, Dr. Jaskamal Kahlon, Dr. Joshua D. Cohen and Dr. M. Joshua Berkowitz allegedly conducted ablations on perforator veins that did not meet these standards. The United States contends that the group knowingly falsified medical records to justify the procedures.
"Physicians should not prioritize profit over patient needs," Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said. "Medicare and other federal programs pay only for medical care that meets accepted standards."
U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Timothy Courchaine emphasized the financial impact of such actions. "Paying for unnecessary medical procedures reduces federal programs’ capacity to pay for truly necessary procedures," Courchaine said.
Tri-City Cardiology released a statement regarding the civil settlement with the U.S. Attorney's Office, saying:
"Tri-City Cardiology has resolved a civil review with the U.S. Department of Justice concerning certain venous ablation procedures performed between 2016 and 2022.
"We strongly disagree with the government’s allegations and unequivocally deny that our physicians knowingly...
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