Home Delivery

4 cardiologists settle with government over UMDNJ salaries

May 7, 2008

Article tools

E-mail

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Facebook
- Fark
- Google
- Newsvine
- Reddit
- Yahoo

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) _ Four cardiologists have agreed to pay $387,000 to settle allegations that they received improper salary payments from the state's medical university in exchange for referring patients to the university's cardiac surgery unit.

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the settlements Wednesday.

It said the doctors were hired as part-time faculty members by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Federal law prohibits a doctor from receiving a salary in exchange for referring patients.

The settlements eliminate the need for the government to file suit against the doctors to recover the salaries, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

It said settlements were signed over the last week with Dr. Trevor Atherley of Watchung for approximately $180,000; Dr. Joven Dungo of Caldwell for approximately $138,000, and Dr. Abdul Ameen of Bayonne for approximately $38,000. A settlement with Dr. Michael Benz of Nutley was signed on April 14 for approximately $30,000, the government said.

UMDNJ issued a statement saying that changes have been implemented to prevent such situations in the future.

"Since the concerns over the community cardiology program first came to light in the fall of 2006, the UMDNJ Board of Trustees and management at the university have worked with the former federal monitor and with the New Jersey attorney general's office in restructuring the program," the statement said.

"The reforms implemented by UMDNJ to the cardiology program are an example of the many positive steps taken at the university over the past two years."

Get breaking news | Most popular stories | Dining and Travel deals all via e-mail!

Would you recommend this?

Rate it: