The Associated Press State & Local Wire

January 11, 2007 Thursday 11:32 PM GMT

Jackson psychiatrist accused of fraud pays settlement

SECTION: STATE AND REGIONAL

LENGTH: 135 words

DATELINE: JACKSON Miss.

A Jackson psychiatrist has agreed to pay $216,000 to settle allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud after a multiyear investigation concluded.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges that Dr. Viacin Faeza Jones misused billing codes and billed Medicare and Medicaid for excessive numbers of patients per day. A U.S. Department of Justice release said that Jones billed for treating up to 116 patients in a single day and was paid about $30 to $125 from Medicare or Medicaid for each claim.
“If a health care provider raids public funds through fraudulent or reckless Medicare billing practices, then he or she needs to be prepared to face the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton.
The $216,000 settlement amount represents repayment for the wrongfully obtained funds, plus penalties of more than $100,000.