Ohio cardiologist gets 20 years for performing unnecessary procedures

A cardiologist in Westlake, Ohio, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for performing unnecessary catheterizations, tests and stent insertions, and causing unnecessary coronary artery bypass surgeries as part of a scheme to overbill Medicare and private insurers by $29 million, according to the Department of Justice.

Harold Persaud, MD, who owned a private medical practice, performed nuclear stress tests that were not medically necessary on patients and recorded false test results to justify cardiac catheterization procedures.

Dr. Persaud also referred patients for coronary artery bypass surgery when there was no medical necessity for such surgery and performed medically unnecessary stent procedures, aortograms, renal angiograms and other procedures and tests, according to the DOJ.

Of the $29 million billed to Medicare and private insurers as a result of the scheme, $5.7 million was paid.

Dr. Persaud was convicted earlier this year of one count of healthcare fraud, 13 counts of making false statements and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from criminal activity.

Last week, Dr. Persaud was sentenced to 20 years in prison. A hearing has been slated for Jan. 27, 2016, to determine restitution, according to the DOJ.

"This defendant used his medical license as a license to steal," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon. "This prison sentence is well deserved."

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