South Carolina physician Moustafa Moustafa, MD, and his practice will pay $585,540 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they received illegal kickbacks for referring patients for laboratory testing.
Dr. Moustafa and his practice, South Carolina Nephrology and Hypertension Center, in Orangeburg and Bamberg allegedly received thousands of dollars in remuneration from a clinical laboratory in Anderson, S.C., in exchange for referrals between June 2017 and December 2021, according to Sept. 29 news release from the Justice Department.
In addition, Dr. Moustafa and his practice allegedly received remuneration from a clinical laboratory in Kenilworth, N.J., in the form of free clinical staff in exchange for referrals for laboratory testing from August 2020 to December 2022.
He also allegedly received thousands of dollars in remuneration from marketing company Ralston Health Group in return for ordering clinical laboratory services from five laboratories from September 2019 to March 2023, the release said.