Tennessee Physician agrees to pay nearly $200,000 to government for kickback scheme

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Dr. Brenna Green, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has settled with the United States Government for her role in a kickback scheme that included West Virginia physicians, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Green, age 41, was accused of participating in a kickback scheme with Southwest Laboratories, Medscan Laboratory, sales representatives affiliated with Southwest and Medscan and others, thereby causing false claims to be submitted to Medicare in violation of the Federal False Claims Act, the Physician Self-Referral law, and the Anti-Kickback Statute. It is alleged that Green acquired shares in Southwest for a nominal sum in exchange for a guaranteed “dividend” of approximately $5,000 per month, provided she met or exceeded the number of urine drug screen referrals required by Southwest. Green allegedly collected nearly $100,000 in said dividends.

Green has agreed to pay $199,425.56, which was paid in full this week.

“We will be ever vigilant in our task of protecting taxpayer dollars from fraudulent schemes.  Thanks to the hard work of our civil staff and agency investigators, we were able to successfully conclude this matter.  Our efforts will continue,” said Powell.

It is further alleged that Southwest processed urine drug screens from patients covered by private health care benefit programs, and forwarded the drug screens from patients covered by Medicare to Medscan. Medscan profited more than $300,000 from Medicare drug screens that were referred by Green.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan McGonigal litigated the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Inspector General – Department of Health and Human Services investigated.