Tri-Area Community Health, (TACH) located in Laurel Pike, Virginia, agreed last week to pay $513,729.90 to the United States to resolve allegations it improperly billed Medicare for Annual Wellness Visits, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Virginia.
TACH previously repaid $321,075.56 toward the total settlement amount.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability, officials said.
Tri-Area Community Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center that operates six independent clinic locations within the Western District of Virginia, including offices in Laurel Fork and Ferrum. TACH provides Annual Wellness Visits to Medicare beneficiaries that are ultimately billed to Medicare.
From August 2022 through December 2025, TACH provided Annual Wellness Visits to Medicare beneficiaries that were provided by pharmacists without physician oversight, without a physician being present physically or virtually, and/or otherwise without appropriate physician supervision, that were ultimately billed under the names of physicians who were not involved with the visits. TACH cooperated with the government’s investigation, initiated its own internal review, and assisted with identifying the improperly reimbursed claims.
TACH worked with the government’s investigation, initiated its own internal review, and assisted with identifying the improperly reimbursed claims, according to attorneys.
