The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced today that Rose Radiology Centers Inc., a provider of radiology services with offices in multiple locations in the greater Tampa area, has agreed to pay $8.71 million to the government to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing federal health care programs for radiology procedures that were not medically necessary or furnished in violation of applicable Federal regulations. The settlement resolves allegations originally brought in lawsuits filed by two separate whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  The government alleged, amongst other things, that Rose Radiology submitted false claims to federal health care programs by administering contrast dye during MRI scans on patients without proper physician supervision. Physician supervision is a safety requirement as a potential adverse side effect is anaphylactic shock.

“It is unconscionable for a physician to allow someone without the proper medical training to administer a test that could cause serious harm” said Shimon Richmond, Special Agent in Charge for the HHS Office of the Inspector General. “Not only do the kinds of frauds that were alleged in this case rob Medicare of needed funds, they threatened the health of elderly and disabled Americans.”