The United States will reportedly receive $300,000 from four East Texas imaging companies and their owners, resolving allegations of Medicare abuse.

The companies allegedly submitted improper billing for transportation charges pertaining to portable X-ray services, according to a press release by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

The East Texas imaging companies involved in the Medicare abuse settlement include PDQ Imaging Services LLC, PDQ Ultrasound Services LLC, PDQ Mobile X-Ray Services, and PDQ Mobile X-Ray LLC.

The companies, along with their owners Dennis Whitsell and Jonathan Lane, will be required to pay for the alleged Medicare abuse, according to Acting United States Attorney Britt Featherston.

A deferred prosecution agreement was also entered into by one of the imaging companies involving alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.

According to the Acting U.S. Attorney, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas keeps a watchful eye on the use of public funds. When a provider fails to comply with Medicare or Medicaid program rules, taxpayers expect to be repaid.”

The whistleblower lawsuit was first filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act in March 2011. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Texas by two relators, Kevin M. and Boyd B.

Under the False Claims Act, a private citizen with knowledge of fraud against the government, such as Medicare abuse, can file a lawsuit on behalf of the United States. The person who files such a claim is known as a “relator.” If the claim is successful, the relator can share in the recovery.

According to the DOJ, the companies are accused of improperly billing for “portable x-ray services and unlawfully paid kickbacks to skilled nursing facilities (SNFS)…”

This arrangement, termed “swapping” was made in exchange for patient referrals, according to the DOJ.

For the purposes of settlement, the United States intervened in this whistleblower lawsuit. The defendants entered an agreed judgment in favor of the United States for the improper claims submission for transportation charges and Medicare abuse, the DOJ states.

Kevin and Boyd will share 19 percent of the United States’ recovery, according to the DOJ.

In addition to this civil whistleblower lawsuit, the United States undertook a criminal investigation pertaining to allegations of improper remuneration paid to skilled nursing facilities by PDQ Imaging Services LLC.

The investigation allegedly revealed that PDQ Imaging illegally offered discounts to skilled nursing facilities in exchange for patient referrals, an arrangement known as “swapping.”

In a separate criminal prosecution, PDQ entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States. Through the agreement, PDQ admitted that it violated the Anti-Kickback Statute through its “swapping” arrangement.

The agreement further requires PDQ to cooperate in the prosecution of all of the skilled nursing facilities and “individuals involved in the illegal swapping arrangements and to maintain internal controls.”