Dentists pay $1.7 million to settle false claims allegations

Two Connecticut dentists and their dental practices agreed to pay $1.7 million to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts. 

The dentists are owners of Family Dentistry of Bridgeport PC, Family Dentistry of Hartford PLLC and Family Dentistry of Stamford, PC. The dentists and the practices and are enrolled as dental providers in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program. 

It is alleged that the practices and one of the dentists violated their Connecticut Medical Assistance Program provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute by submitting claims to the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program related to dental services provided to state Medicaid patients and referred to the businesses by a third-party “patient recruiting” company. The businesses and one of the dentists paid a patient recruiter $115 for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to them whenever the patient received services beyond routine preventative care and submitted claims for services provided to those patients, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. 

“With each submitted claim, they impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership provider manual concerning the submitted claim,” according to the news release. 

The Connecticut Dental Health Partnership provider manual, an addendum to the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program provider agreement and provider manual, explicitly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to Connecticut Medical Assistance Program providers, according to the release. 

The dentists and dental practices agreed to pay $1.7 million to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct that occurred from February 2016 through August 2018. Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties for each false claim.