Ran Doshi Diagnostic Imaging Group.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian-American company has settled a civil case with federal and state authorities for $15.5 million, the result of yet another medical benefits scheme gone awry for a clinic with desis at the helm.
Doshi Diagnostic Imaging Group (DDIG) will pay 12.4 million to the federal government’s Medicare program, $2.9 million to the state governments of New York’s Medicaid program, and New Jersey will get $190,000 for its Medicaid program.
According to the government, the company, founded in 1985 by Leena Doshi and co-run by her husband Nitin Doshi, filed false Medicare and Medicaid claims for 11 years, between 1999 and 2010, for 21 of its locations in New York City and Nassau County.
The malfeasance was brought to the attention of law enforcement officials by three whistleblowers with ties to DDIG. Under the provisions of the federal courts, these whistleblowers are also entitled to a portion of the settlement money, although the exact amount of that is not yet clear (some are reporting as much as $2.77 million).
The case against DDIG states that it fraudulently billed the aforementioned government programs for tests that it claimed were necessary and performed, when neither was true. These tests included CT scans and ensuing 3D interpretations of them. DDIG has branches in the state of Florida as well, but those were apparently uninvolved with the scheme.
The settlement with the courts will also put to rest any and all allegations that physicians employed by these clinics were involved in a kickback scheme for diagnostic test referrals, meaning that there were payoffs made whenever a DDIG clinic was referred to a patient for any kind of imaging test.
The ironic part of all this is that the Doshi couple was considered to be one of the premiere Indian American families in the New York City area. In fact, they are recipients of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, an award bestowed upon immigrants who come to the US and contribute a significant amount to the betterment of the country.
Originally from Mumbai, Leena Doshi came to the US in 1973 to study radiology. She eventually opened the DDIG clinics. Her husband, a dentist by trade, joined his wife to help operate and expand the growing enterprise, which now operates offices in three states along the East Coast.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com
1 Comment
This is not surprising as Leena Doshi is known for being a money-hungry wh-re! Her offices, especially the Downtown Brooklyn location, have extremely long wait times with rude staff. Her facilities are also known for misdiagnosing patients. I would NEVER even send my DOG to Doshi!