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Fort Myers Company Settles With US Government Over Unnecessary Medical Tests

The U.S. Attorney’s office has settled a lawsuit brought by a whistle-blower alleging one of the nation’s largest radiation oncology providers has agreed to settle allegations it performed and billed for procedures that were not medically necessary.

A press release reports 21st Century Oncology, headquartered in Fort Myers, has to pay nearly 35 million dollars to resolve the allegations. The company has offices in 16 states.

The settlement relates to the use of a procedure used to measure the dose radiating from the patient after he receives radiation treatment.

The whistleblower, a former physicist, will receive more than 7 million dollars for reporting the issue. 

21st Century paid more than 19 million dollars last December to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by billing for medically unnecessary lab tests and for offering bonuses to encourage physicians to order the tests.