Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury has agreed to pay $2.8 million to settle federal claims it failed to prevent cardiologist John R. McLean from placing medically unnecessary stents in dozens of patients between 2003 and 2006, the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.
McLean was convicted last month in U.S. District Court of health care fraud and related charges for falsifying patient records to make it appear they needed coronary stents, then billing private and public insurers hundreds of thousands of dollars for the unwarranted procedures. He faces a maximum of 35 years in prison at his sentencing, set for Nov. 10.
The Eastern Shore hospital, which admits no liability under the settlement, has already repaid nearly $1 million of the agreed-upon amount, according to the settlement. It has also agreed to repay any federal funds it received for McLean's improper stents, federal prosecutors said.
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