Physician pays $215,228 to settle kickback allegations: 4 details

Ashok Kumar, MD, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle allegations he accepted kickbacks in exchange for referring patients to Memorial Hospital of Gardena (Calif.), according to a March 3 Justice Department news release.

Four details:

1. Joshua Luke, MD, former CEO of the hospital, filed a whistleblower lawsuit against Dr. Kumar and other defendants, claiming the hospital hired Dr. Ashok as medical director and compensated him at a rate above fair market value to induce patient referrals.

2. Dr. Kumar agreed to pay $215,228 to settle allegations he violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law.

3. Dr. Luke will receive $42,529 from the federal government for his role as the whistleblower.

4. The other defendants in the lawsuit paid an $8.1 million settlement in 2018.

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