A 44-year-old physician from Laredo has paid $340,437.68 to resolve allegations he falsely billed Medicare for the use of electro-acupuncture devices. Dr. Marte A. Martinez Jr. is an anesthesiologist and pain management physician who practices in Laredo. Marte A. Martinez M.D. PLLC is an entity Martinez used to conduct his medical practice. From Aug. 23, 2019, to Feb. 12, 2020, Martinez billed Medicare for the implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. These are surgical procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. Medicare pays thousands of dollars per procedure. Neither Martinez nor his staff performed surgery. Instead, patients received devices used for electro-acupuncture. This involves inserting needles into patients’ ears with the neurostimulator taped behind them with an adhesive. To date, the Southern District of Texas has resolved four other settlements with a Katy anesthesiologist, a Houston pain doctor, a Rockport chiropractor and a Houston chiropractor involving similar allegations of false billing.
