HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Sugar Land man has agreed to pay $2,095,946 to resolve allegations he submitted false claims for the placement of electro-acupuncture devices, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Dr. Rajesh Bindal used the entity Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center P.A. to conduct his medical practice. From March 16, 2021, to April 22, 2022, Bindal billed Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes.
These are invasive procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. As a result, Medicare and the FEHBP pay thousands of dollars per procedure.
However, neither Bindal nor his staff performed these surgical procedures, according to the allegations.
Instead, patients allegedly received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involved inserting monofilament wire a few millimeters into patients’ ears and taping the device behind the ear with an adhesive. In some instances, a device sales representative or a physician assistant allegedly performed these placements, which were then billed as surgeries. All device placements took place in Bindal’s clinic, not a hospital or surgical center, and no incision was made on a patient. Most patients claimed the adhesive came loose and the device fell off on its own accord within a few days.
“A neurosurgeon, like Bindal, should know when he is and is not performing surgery,” said Hamdani. “Even though neurosurgeons, according to one study, are the highest paid physician specialists in the United States, Bindal allegedly submitted false claims in an effort to further enrich himself. To maintain the trust of the public in our federal health care system, it is imperative that medical professionals, such as neurosurgeons, bill accurately for the services provided. Otherwise, my office may get involved and seek to hold accountable anyone who violates that trust.”
“Ensuring that health care professionals are held accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare is essential for preserving public trust and safeguarding critical resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “Dr. Bindal not only submitted false claims to Medicare but also deceived our most vulnerable population. DHHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain committed to working together to uphold the integrity of federal health care programs.”
“False claims come at a cost not only to our federal health care programs but also to the members who rely on these programs for necessary care,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM-OIG.) “We support the efforts of our law enforcement partners and colleagues to protect not only the integrity of federal health care programs but also the safety of federal employees, annuitants and their families.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with DHHS-OIG and OPM-OIG.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Collins handled the matter.
