Federal lawsuit: $25M fraud at Tennessee senator’s clinic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal lawsuit claims a Tennessee senator and other officials at a now-shuttered pain clinic company defrauded Medicare and Medicaid of more than $25 million.

The complaint filed Monday in Nashville by federal and state authorities claims Comprehensive Pain Specialists, Republican Sen. Steve Dickerson and others submitted claims for unnecessary procedures and falsified documents.

Dickerson is a Nashville anesthesiologist who co-owned the shuttered Tennessee-based company, which once operated in 12 states.

The lawsuit alleges Dickerson submitted more than 750 false claims, amounting to more than $4 million in penalties.

It says Dickerson and another physician-owner voiced concerns about a former CEO’s conduct but didn’t act, choosing to keep money flowing into their bank accounts.

Ed Yarbrough, Dickerson’s attorney, called Dickerson an honest man and said that’ll be proven in court.