The US Department of Justice resolved allegations that Dr. Joseph Upton, of Bellevue, Washington, caused the submission of false claims to Medicare. Dr. Upton agreed to pay $65,680 to resolve the matter. Of the settlement amount, $32,840 is restitution and the rest is a penalty under the False Claims Act. According to the settlement agreement, the United States alleges that between August 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019, Dr. Upton engaged in conduct that resulted in the submission of false claims to the Medicare program. Specifically, in connection with his work for a purported telemedicine company known as REMN, Dr. Upton signed durable medical equipment and genetic testing orders for Medicare beneficiaries, despite never examining or speaking with the patients or confirming that the orders were medically necessary and reasonable as required by Medicare.
