The United States Department of Justice has reported that a school affiliate of the University of California, San Diego agreed to pay a fine in order to answer claims that it violated the False Claims Act.
The academic health system of the University of California will pay $2.9 million to resolve allegations that UC San Diego Health requested unneeded genetic testing reimbursed by Medicare, according to a news release.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton for the Justice Department’s Civil Division said that hospitals should be guardians of the medical profession.
The government alleged that UC San Diego Health ordered and submitted referrals for medically unnecessary genetic testing.
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“Hospitals are the gatekeepers for medical care and are expected to ensure that all services performed at their direction, including genetic tests, are medically appropriate,” Boynton said. “The department will continue to pursue those who undermine the integrity of federal health care programs and waste taxpayer dollars.”
The Department of Justice reported that UC San Diego Health ordered and submitted referrals for medically unnecessary genetic testing performed by CQuentia Arkansas Labs, CQuentia NGS and Total Diagnostic from December 2015 to October 2019.
The testing facilitated the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare for these tests, the government stated, according to a news release.
“Ordering unnecessary genetic tests creates a drain on vital government-funded health care programs like Medicare,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California.
