Physician and his practice to pay $6.7M for allegedly performing unnecessary vascular procedures
A medical practice and its owner have agreed to pay $6.7 million to resolve allegations of submitting false claims for medically unnecessary vascular procedures. This include a payment of $6.51 million to the United States and another payment of nearly $229,000 to the state of California.
Physician Feliciano Serrano, MD, the owner of Serrano Kidney & Vascular Access Center in Huntington Park, California, was accused of performing a variety of medically unnecessary dialysis access interventions—including angioplasty and stent procedures—on Medicare patients from 2016 to 2024. One patient allegedly received 42 different stents over an eight-year period.
Serrano was also accused of performed medically unnecessary peripheral artery disease interventions on 17 patients from 2019 to 2024. One patient allegedly received approximately 16 atherectomies between 2019 and 2023.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Serrano would tell patients that they needed both legs treated when they came to his office only complaining about pain in one leg. In addition, he would allegedly tell patients there was a risk of amputation if they did not undergo treatment, even when the symptoms were mild and no such risk was present.
“Physicians should not be performing and billing for unnecessary and excessive medical interventions” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the DOJ’s Civil Division said in a statement. “False documentation of symptoms compromises the integrity of our federal health care programs and the well-being of beneficiaries. Physicians who place their own profit over patient needs will be held accountable.”
“False claims to Medicare and Medicaid cause millions of dollars in losses to the government,” added First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill A. Essayli for the Central District of California. “This settlement sends a clear message to physicians that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”
These claims are allegations only. As a result of this settlement, the DOJ is emphasizing that “no determination of liability” has been made.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.