Wichita Physician And His Company Pay $1.5 Million
To Settle Allegations of Medicare False Claims
WICHITA, KAN. – Roger W. Evans, M.D. and his company, EECP Heart Center of Kansas, Inc. (EECP), have agreed to pay $1.5 million to the United States to settle allegations that Evans and EECP submitted false claims to the Medicare program, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom announced today. Evans is owner and president of EECP.
Evans operated several clinics across Kansas and provided enhanced counterpulsation therapy, an in-patient service for the treatment of coronary artery disease. The United States contends that from July 2005, through June 2009, Evans submitted claims to Medicare for services when Evans was not actually present at the clinics and did not provide direct supervision of the procedures as required by Medicare.
During ECP treatment, a patient is placed on a treatment table and the patient’s lower trunk and lower extremities are wrapped in a series of compressive air cuffs which inflate and deflate in synchronization with the patient’s cardiac cycle. The cuffs compress blood vessels in the calves and thighs to increase blood flow and improve cardiac function. A full course of ECP therapy usually consists of 35 one-hour treatments which may be offered once or twice daily, usually five days per week.
“Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicare program, both by assuring appropriate care to beneficiaries and by recovering improperly paid funds,” said U.S. Attorney Grissom.
According to the terms of the agreement, Evans and his company do not admit any wrongdoing.
This settlement is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Fleenor handled the matter for the United States.
