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Press Release

Mercer County Doctor, Practice Settle False Claims Act Allegations

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH – Dr. John P. Balko and John Balko & Associates, Inc., doing business as Senior Healthcare Associates (SHA), have agreed to pay the United States $930,000.00 to settle False Claims Act allegations, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Balko and SHA violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment to the Medicare program. Specifically, the United States alleged that Dr. Balko and SHA submitted claims for services provided to nursing home residents—including earwax removal procedures, podiatry, and certain evaluation and management services—which were not medically necessary, not authorized or requested by patients, not supported by patient medical records, or were provided in reliance upon improper standing orders.

This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant United States Attorneys Colin J. Callahan and David Lew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Pennsylvania and Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Heyer of the Northern District of Ohio handled this matter on behalf of the United States.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Updated August 30, 2016