Lessons from a Medicare whistleblower on Hilton Head
Having just finished reading your July 22 article about Medicare fraud, and I have to say job well done.
As someone who practiced nephrology for 40 years (a heavily lab-work-dependent specialty), I have been well acquainted with anti-kickback statutes for decades as they were promulgated when I was a resident. And they are very clear about the $3 maximum lab-draw fee.
It took a lot of courage and integrity for “whistleblower” Dr. Michael Mayes of Hilton Head Island to do what he did. We all benefit when fewer charlatans are allowed to bilk the Medicare system, as we have all paid into that system, and as retirees depend on its existence for health care.
What puzzles me is the behavior of his former physician partners. While perhaps the statutes aren’t discussed as frequently as they were years ago, all physicians are responsible for being aware of these things. In addition, Mayes told them he thought the kickbacks were illegal.
Worse than that, a veiled threat from a co-worker that things never turn out well for whistleblowers is disgusting.
I would hope that, in addition to saying “good job, Dr. Mayes,” we can say to all of our doctors that we hope they would have done the same thing given that situation.
Dr. John MacLaurin
Hilton Head Island
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