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South Carolina Physicians and Practice Settle Case Involving Kickbacks

On September 19, 2018, Sarah S. Cottingham, M.D., Russell E. Ditzler, M.D., and Lexington County Health Services District, Inc. d/b/a Lexington Medical Center (collectively, "Lexington"), Columbia, South Carolina, entered into a $97,784 settlement agreement with OIG. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Lexington solicited and received remuneration from Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL) and Singulex, Inc. (Singulex), laboratory companies, in the form of "process and handling" payments related to the collection of blood. OIG alleged that Lexington solicited and received the remuneration from HDL and Singulex in exchange for Lexington and Lexington employees referring patients for laboratory testing services to HDL and Singulex, for which the Medicare Program paid. Senior Counsels Katie Fink and Jennifer Leonardis represented OIG with the assistance of Program Analyst Mariel Filtz.

Action Details

  • Date:September 19, 2018
  • Enforcement Types:
    • CMP and Affirmative Exclusions