REDDING MEDICAL CENTER
Background
In October 2002, the FBI raided the Department of Cardiology at Redding Medical Center ("RMC") as part of an on-going healthcare fraud investigation. Dr. Chae Moon, a cardiologist, and Dr. Fidel Realyvasquez, a cardiothoracic surgeon, were investigated for performing unnecessary, highly invasive coronary procedures on patients, including heart catheterizations, angioplasty and open heart surgeries.
It was estimated that 50% of the procedures performed were unnecessary. Tenet Healthcare has paid $54 million to the federal government to repay the amount they fraudulently overcharged Medicare and other federal and state healthcare programs.
More than 700 cases were filed against Tenet in Shasta County Superior Court. Hackard & Holt was an active member in the litigation process and settlement negotiations during this campaign. A global settlement was reached with Tenet and the doctors in 2004 totaling $419 million. Hackard & Holt obtained substantial settlements for all of their clients.