Foxborough Eye Doctor's Office Settles $2.6 Million Fraud Case

FOXBOROUGH, MA — A medical practice specializing in eyes, ears, nose and the throat agreed to pay a $2.6 million settlement to resolve allegations it improperly billed federal heath care agencies, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Massachusetts Eye and Ear, which has inpatient and outpatient facilities in Boston, Foxborough and Plainvillle, improperly billed federal health care programs for certain office visits, defrauding the United States of more $1 million, according to federal authorities.

Authorities said the billing fraud occurred over an eight-year period, between 2012 and 2020. During that time, Massachusetts Eye and Ear regularly submitted false claims to Medicare and MassHealth, federal authorities said.

"When health care providers submit improper claims to Medicare and Medicaid, they do two bad things: they unjustly enrich themselves, and they drain money needed for legitimate patient care," said acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Mendell. "This settlement punishes bad billing and helps safeguard government health care programs from fraud, waste and abuse."