Update, March 12, 2025: ‘Vague’ fraud case dismissed against owners of Clarksville, Nashville pain clinics

Previously:

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The owners of a Clarksville pain management clinic have been accused of falsely billing patients for unnecessary tests in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a complaint in intervention alleging violations of the False Claims Act against the Pain Institute of Clarksville and their affiliate location in Springfield.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Michael and Debbie Cox, owners of the Clarksville Pain Institute and Pain Institute of Nashville were submitting false claims for diagnostic testing services that were not deemed medically necessary. Some of these testing services included urine drug screens, allergy tests and psychological tests.

The Coxes pressured staff at their Clarksville pain management clinic to bill for more testing than was medically necessary, routinely tested patients’ urine and did not review the results and operated multiple schemes to maximize testing profits from different kinds of diagnostic testing, according to the news release. The complaint alleges the defendants ignored multiple warnings from consultants, auditors and insurers that their billing practices was not in accord with Medicare requirements. Additionally, there were allegations that patients described being treated like cattle at the clinic, spending minutes with providers, and receiving unnecessary testing that was pushed on patients if they wanted to receive their pain medications.

Clarksville Now has tried to reach the Coxes. A person answering the phone at their Clarksville office declined to comment.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the government began investigating the wrongdoing alleged in the complaint in response to a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, an individual can file an action on behalf of the U.S. and receive a portion of any recovery.

The matter is being investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

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