$6.5M In Fraud, Needless Procedures By Radnor Doctor: Lawsuit

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The United States filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday accusing a Radnor radiologist and his practices of filing over 500 false claims to federal health care programs for unnecessary invasive artery procedures.

Dr. James McGuckin and his practice groups improperly received $6.5 million from Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 31, 2019, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.

McGuckin and his medical entities billed Medicare and Federal Employees Health Benefits Programs for invasive artery procedures in patients’ legs, according to the lawsuit.

The defendants named in the suit are:

• Peripheral Vascular Institute of Philadelphia, LLC;
• Main Line Vascular Institute LLC, of King of Prussia;
• Lehigh Valley Vascular Institute LLC, of Bethlehem;
• PA Vascular Institute LLC, of East Stroudsburg;
• Philadelphia Vascular Institute LLC; and
• Pennsylvania Vascular Institute P.C.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Jacqueline C. Romero said performing unnecessary procedures puts patients at risk and contributes to soaring healthcare costs.

“As this litigation demonstrates, we are committed to safeguarding federal health care program beneficiaries and protecting public funds,” Romero said.

According to the 80-page lawsuit:

Unnecessary procedures may cause harm to a patient’s health and increase the likelihood of needing future procedures.

McGuckin and the defendants knew from other federal lawsuits that unnecessary procedures are a violation of federal law.

McGuckin signed a settlement agreement in 2018 with federal courts in New York and Louisiana in which he admitted that the entities in those cases had billed for procedures without evidence the procedures were required.

Under federal law, if the U.S. government proves a defendant submitted false claims, the government is entitled to recover three times the damage, plus penalties.