Dr. Bashir Chowdhry’s Cardiovascular And Thoracic Surgeons Of Nevada Inc. Agrees To Pay $1.5 Million To Settle False Claims Act Allegations
Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Nevada, Inc. (CTS), a Las Vegas medical practice whose principal physician is Dr. Bashir Chowdhry, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to the United States to resolve allegations relating to its potential liability under the civil False Claims Act.
Vegasdesi.com first reported the investigation in November 2012 of Dr. Chowdhrys’ Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Nevada for irregular billing practices.
In February 2013, Vegasdesi.co m also reported US District Court Judge James Mahan orders Dr. Bashir Chowdhry’s Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons (CTS) to produce the outstanding medical and financial patient information within twenty days.
United States Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Christian J. Schrank for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge A.E. Pleasant for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Criminal Investigations Division, Western Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI’s Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
The settlement announced resolves allegations that, from January 1, 2006 through May 31, 2011, CTS violated the False Claims Act by billing federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for surgical services not actually provided to its cardiac patients, and also billing for more expensive surgical and evaluation and management services than those actually provided to its patients.
“It is important to maintain the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Elieson for the District of Nevada. “Medical providers who misuse these programs negatively impact patients and taxpayers.”
“When providers bill government health programs for services never rendered, as alleged here, precious resources are diverted from vulnerable individuals,” said SAC Schrank for the HHS-OIG. “Suspected violators can expect to pay a price.”
“Physicians who engage in cost mischarging for services provided to veterans will be aggressively pursued by the Office of Inspector General and held accountable to the full extent of the law,” said SAC Pleasant for the VA-OIG.
“The FBI will continue to investigate companies that profit from exploiting patients who are searching for treatments to critical medical illnesses,” said SAC Rouse for the FBI.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Wenthe handled the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Dr. Bashir Chowdhry is a graduate of King Edward Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan. He completed a medical internship at the Toledo hospital and residency in general surgery at m Edward Meyer Memorial Hospital, Buffalo, NY. In 1977, Dr. Chowdhry completed Cardiothoracic Surgery fellowship from NY State University, Buffalo, NY. Dr. Chowdhry has been practicing in Vegas since 1977.
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What else is new????
Becoming rich is the “name of the game” How the hell do you do that??
Ask all these so called physicians who have been sued byFBI / DOJ / Medicare / Medicaid / mal-practice Attorneys!!!!!
Ya ya Ya , I know lot of you are going to feel the pinch under you asses, but do I care? NOPE!!!!
Obviously, there was some under-the-hand proceedings going on otherwise, no one would want to shell out hard earned 1.5 million !!!!!
Take heed……
And for those of you who think you can beat the system…. its only a matter of time… !!!!!!!!
I guess there were two folks who called or thought of themselves as community Don’s – one in the Indian Community and one in the Pakistani Community… Both are biting dust now !!!!!
Lets see how many of those whose seats are on fire are going to give long-winded, unconcerned answers !!!!!
Pankaj, you saved my time and effort to respond …. I totally agree with you about Bashir and others who are already caught in the past and more are waiting to be caught … Surprising part is that they walk around in the Indian Community like they have done nothing wrong…. BESHARAM!!
I heard my friends bragging about Bashir’s Palacial House with Pure White Carpet – where did the money came from to build it?