Craig Morgan, MD, and Eye Consultants in Huntington, West Virginia, paid $907,074.64 to settle allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia reported.
A West Virginia ophthalmologist has entered into a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations that his practice submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
Craig Morgan, MD, and Eye Consultants in Huntington, West Virginia, have paid $907,074.64 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid, the Department of Justice said in a Sept. 6 news release.
According to the Justice Department, from January 13, 2013 to April 12, 2019, Morgan administered vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor injections into the eyes of patients to treat alleged wet age-related macular degeneration or other ophthalmological conditions. Prosecutors said those injections were not medically necessary because the patients did not have treatable Wet-AMD or other conditions that would have justified the invasive treatment.
“This settlement is important because it shows that this office, along with its federal partners, will aggressively seek restitution when taxpayer dollars are misused,” U.S. Attorney Will Thompson said in a statement. “When a person goes to a medical provider, they expect the medical provider to treat them, not the medical provider to figure out ways to enrich themselves.”
Morgan was identified by HHS-OIG as one of the top Medicare program billing outliers across all medical specialists in West Virginia, far exceeding the average of Medicare claims submitted by his peers. The vast majority of payments Morgan received from Medicare were for injections for purported treatment of wet AMD.
“Providers who perform medically unnecessary procedures damage trust in doctor-patient relationships and take advantage of taxpayer-funded programs,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon. “HHS-OIG, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to working together to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the United States Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Task Force, which brings together federal, state and local law enforcement partners from a variety of agencies to coordinate intelligence sharing and prosecution of health care fraud affecting Medicare, Medicaid and other public health services.
You should see an ophthalmologist if you experience physical changes in your eyes, such as crossed eyes or eyes that turn inward, outward, upward or downward. Make an appointment with an ophthalmologist right away if you have eye pain, as this could be a symptom of a serious problem.
What is the difference between eye specialist and ophthalmologist?
Optometrists are basic eye care specialists who can examine, diagnose and medically treat eye diseases. Ophthalmologists are a type of doctor who specializes in surgical procedures for the eye. Opticians are customer service specialists who work in vision centers and optometry offices.
What is the correct term for an eye specialist? If you have an eye disease or vision disorder, you may be referred to an ophthalmologist – also known as an ophthalmologist or eye surgeon. This may interest you : A first look at Clovis Community Hospital’s New High-Tech Hospital Lobby.
What is the difference between an eye doctor and an ophthalmologist?
Optometrists examine, diagnose and treat patients’ eyes. Ophthalmologists are ophthalmologists who perform medical and surgical treatments for eye diseases.
Is it better to go to an optometrist or ophthalmologist?
Visit your medical optometrist for primary medical eye care, including eye medication prescriptions, eye disease monitoring and management, or emergency eye care services. To see also : High-tech imaging offers a new way to detect early signs of glaucoma. Visit an ophthalmologist for interventions such as surgical treatments for severe eye diseases, advanced eye problems, or refractive eye surgery.
What do you call a person who checks eye problem?
An ophthalmologist is qualified to provide total eye care, that is, vision services, eye examinations, medical and surgical eye care, and the diagnosis and treatment of disease and visual complications caused by other conditions, such as diabetes. Read also : The best mobile games of 2022 (so far).
What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an ophthalmologist? Optometrists examine, diagnose and treat patients’ eyes. Ophthalmologists are ophthalmologists who perform medical and surgical treatments for eye diseases.
When should I see an ophthalmologist?
Loss of vision or impaired vision in one or both eyes. Changes in vision such as sudden spots, flashes of light, lightning streaks or jagged lines of light, wavy or watery vision, blurred faces, distortions or wavy lines, halos around lights, double vision.
What conditions do ophthalmologist treat?
What conditions can ophthalmologists treat?
- partial or complete loss of vision.
- eye damage, pain or inflammation.
- eye diseases, such as glaucoma.
- health conditions that can affect their eyes, including diabetes and high blood pressure.
- poor vision that needs specialist treatment.
Should I see an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
Visit your medical optometrist for primary medical eye care, including eye medication prescriptions, eye disease monitoring and management, or emergency eye care services. Visit an ophthalmologist for interventions such as surgical treatments for severe eye diseases, advanced eye problems, or refractive eye surgery.
What are the signs of an eye infection?
Signs of an eye infection
- Pain in the eye.
- A feeling that something is in the eye (foreign body sensation).
- Increased sensitivity to light (photophobia).
- Yellow, green, bloody or watery discharge from the eye.
- Increasing redness of the eye or eyelids.
- A gray or white sore on the colored part of the eye (iris).
Do eye infections go away on their own? Treatment of eye infection depends on the type of infection and the cause. Viral infections usually go away on their own, and home remedies, such as ibuprofen, warm compresses, and moisturizing eye drops, can help relieve symptoms. But medical attention is sometimes necessary.
How do you get rid of an eye infection?
apply a warm, moist, clean towel to the eye for 20 minutes at a time to relieve inflammation. taking oral antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, or IV antibiotics for children under 4 years of age. have surgery to relieve pressure in the eye if the infection becomes very severe (this rarely happens)
Do floaters ever go away?
In most cases, you do not need to treat floaters. They can be annoying at first, but over time you won’t notice they’re there anymore. Sometimes this is wrong with them disappearing completely. Floaters may become less pronounced, but they are permanent and stay in the eye.
Can eye floaters be cured naturally? In many cases, eye floaters will fade or disappear on their own. If they don’t fade, sometimes your brain will learn to ignore them. As a result, your vision will begin to adjust. You will no longer notice them as much.
When should I worry about eye floaters?
Watery eyes are common, and they can be a nuisance, but they’re usually nothing to worry about. If you have a lot of floaters that appear suddenly, or other eye symptoms along with eye floaters, seek medical help right away.
How do I get rid of floaters in my vision?
Options may include surgery to remove the vitreous or a laser to disrupt the floaters, although both procedures are rarely performed. Surgery to remove the vitreous. An ophthalmologist who specializes in retinal and vitreous surgery removes the vitreous through a small incision (vitrectomy).
