Orthopedic company to settle billing claims

OKLAHOMA CITY – Olsen Orthopedics, P.L.L.C., an Oklahoma City orthopedic company, has agreed to pay $455,000 to settle civil allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicare and TRICARE, announced Robert J. Troester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The United States alleges that from Dec. 1, 2011, through May 5, 2016, Olsen Orthopedics administered by injection Orthovisc and Euflexxa to Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries.  Medicare and TRICARE will only reimburse health care providers for drugs and devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

According to the United States, Olsen Orthopedics’ claims to Medicare and TRICARE were false because the Orthovisc and Euflexxa it administered was purchased outside the United States and did not have FDA approval for use in the United States.

In order to resolve the allegations, Olsen Orthopedics agreed to pay $455,000.

In reaching this settlement, Olsen Orthopedics did not admit liability, and the government did not concede that its claims lack merit.  The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty of litigating the case.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the FBI; and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Scott Maule.