According to the Department of Justice, Azhar Shakeel, MD, has settled with state and federal agencies for $619,994 to resolve a False Claims Act violation. Shakeel, who owns and operates Urgent Care of Muskogee, Urgent Care of Checotah, and Muskogee Medical Care in Oklahoma, allegedly submitted claims to several federally funded healthcare programs during times in which it was believed he was not actually in the centers seeing patients. A department press release notes that an investigation revealed Shakeel was out of the office and traveling for more than 175 days during the time period from March 2017 through October 2023 when the claims were filed.
Even allegations can cost you: In the past few years, urgent care operators have been involved in settlements under the False Claims Act totaling $44.4 million. Read more from the JUCM archive: What is a False Claim?