• Kinex Medical Company, a Waukesha supplier of orthopedic medical equipment, agreed to pay $7 million to settle Medicare fraud claims
• The federal investigation was prompted by a whistleblower who heard from patients that Kinex was sending them hip or shoulder braces they didn't need
• Kinex was accused of billing Medicare for braces that patients didn't need from 2019 to 2024
• Under the settlement, Kinex did not admit liability for any wrongdoing

A Waukesha medical equipment supplier has reached a nearly $7 million settlement with federal prosecutors over allegations the company engaged in Medicare fraud.

Kinex Medical Company, which sells knee, shoulder and hip braces and other medical equipment for orthopedic patients, was accused of submitting false claims to Medicare and other federal health insurance programs, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Federal prosecutors allege the company billed Medicare and other programs for medical braces that patients did not need between 2019 and 2024.

"Medicare, TRICARE and other federal programs only pay for medical equipment that patients actually need,” Interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel said in a news release. “Kinex, however, induced patients to receive braces that neither the patients nor their doctors thought they needed, all in an effort to receive taxpayer money."

As part of the settlement, Kinex did not admit liability for any wrongdoing. The company has entered into a corporate...

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