At least 20 imaging centers in the Chicago area are being charged with offering illegal payments to physicians in exchange for referring patients for lucrative MRIs, according to a lawsuit unsealed Wednesday, when the state joined the suit filed 11 months ago by a competing radiology service. According to a front-page story in today's Chicago Tribune, physicians allegedly paid the imaging centers a discounted rate to perform MRIs, but billed insurance companies the full cost and pocketed the difference. Many of the tests were unnecessary, the plaintiffs say.
Though this case is limited to one state, the Tribune reports that the office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan believes the scheme is nationwide.
For more details:
- see the Illinois attorney general's press release
- read the Chicago Tribune article