Touro Infirmary settles Qui Tam suit for $1.75 Million
A New Orleans Hospital, Touro Infirmary, recently settled a qui tam suit for $1.75 million. According to the Department of Justice, the suit alleged that Touro Infirmary, submitted false claims to the Medicare program.
Involved in the Medicare scheme with the New Orleans Hospital, was Dr. Maria Carmen Palazzo. In previous a Whistleblower Blog post, we mentioned Dr. Palazzo's involvement with fraud in Paxil trials. According to the recent qui tam case involving Touro Infirmary, Dr. Carmen Palazzo received unlawful payments of $144,000 per year from 2000 to 2004. This was a part of the scheme to get patient referrals to the hospital from Dr. Maria Carmen Palazzo to refer patients to the hospital. According to recent reports, Dr. Palazzo, was found guilty on 39 counts of health care fraud, including 13 counts arising from her contractual relationship with Touro.
Click here to read more from the Department of Justice, on the False Claims Act settlement from Touro Infirmary.
