Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, P.C. (ARC) and its owner, Dr. Jatin Patel, have agreed to pay $2.18 million to settle allegations that the clinic used medical assistants to perform infusion services in violation of Georgia law and submitted claims for those services to Medicare, which is prohibited under the False Claims Act.
“Physicians who disregard state and federal law by allowing unqualified individuals to perform unauthorized medical services place patients in needless danger,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will hold accountable those who participate in federal healthcare programs but seek to enrich themselves by not following the rules.”
The case began after an ARC employee filed a whistleblower complaint claiming that unlicensed medical assistants at ARC were administering chemotherapy medications, which is not allowed under Georgia regulations. The complaint alleged that this conduct led to false claims being submitted to Medicare.
This civil settlement resolves a lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by former ARC employee Phillips Allender under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act (U.S. ex rel. Allender v. Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, P.C. and Jatin Patel, M.D., No. 1:21-cv-4530-MLB). Under these provisions, private citizens can file lawsuits on behalf of the United States and may receive a portion of any recovery; Allender will receive $414,200 from this settlement.
Officials emphasized that these are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. Nugent.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia serves as the principal federal law enforcement agency in north Georgia, managing criminal prosecutions and civil cases on behalf of millions of residents across Atlanta suburbs, north Georgia mountains, and borders with Alabama and the Carolinas (official website). The office coordinates with other agencies on national and international matters while prioritizing threats such as terrorism, human trafficking, civil rights violations, and public safety (official website). Its main location is in Atlanta with additional offices throughout the region (official website).
For more information about this case or about operations within this district, contact details are available through their website.
