Tareen Dermatology, P.A. and its Founder and CEO Agree to Pay over $1.6 Million to Resolve Allegations of Improper Medicare Billing

On behalf of their clients, Halunen Law and Morgan Verkamp, LLC are pleased to announce that Tareen Dermatology, P.A., and founder Mohiba Tareen, M.D. and CEO Basir Tareen, M.D. (the “Tareens”) have agreed to pay $1,630,000 to the United States to resolve allegations of false claims submitted for certain dermatology procedures in violation of the False Claims Act (“FCA”).

The FCA lawsuit contended that for years Tareen Dermatology, P.A. and the Tareens caused the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare and VA-administered programs. The FCA settlement resolves allegations of false billing in connection with Mohs surgeries, improper incident-to services, inappropriate waiver of beneficiary co-pays, and unnecessary use of certain skin grafts in circumstances in which their usage was not justified as billed. As outlined in the settlement agreement, Tareen Dermatology, P.A. and the Tareens will pay to the United States a settlement amount of $1,630,000.

The FCA settlement resolves a civil lawsuit brought by two whistleblowers, both of whom formerly worked at Tareen Dermatology, P.A., under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act allows people who know about fraud against the government to bring suit on behalf of the government to recover fraudulently obtained money back to the Treasury and to share in any recovery. The FCA enables whistleblowers to bring fraud schemes to light that might otherwise go undetected.

Morgan Verkamp, LLC and Halunen Law wish to acknowledge their clients’ courage and perseverance in bringing this case forward on behalf of the United States.

The press release issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota can be viewed here.

The whistleblowers here were represented by Susan Coler of Halunen Law and Nathaniel Smith of Morgan Verkamp, LLC. The case is captioned United States of America and State of Minnesota ex rel. Carrie Cremin and Susanne Polzin v. Tareen Dermatology P.A., Dr. Mohiba Tareen, and Dr. Basir Tareen, Case No. 19-cv-2457.